2-Butanone synthesis

Out first example is 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-3-octanone. 3-Octanone can be purchased, but it would be difficult to differentiate the two activated methylene groups in alkylation and oxidation reactions. Usual syntheses of acyloins are based upon addition of terminal alkynes to ketones (disconnection 1 see p. 52). For syntheses of unsymmetrical 1,2-difunctional compounds it is often advisable to look also for reactive starting materials, which do already contain the right substitution pattern. In the present case it turns out that 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-butanone is an inexpensive commercial product. This molecule dictates disconnection 3. Another practical synthesis starts with acetone cyanohydrin and pentylmagnesium bromide (disconnection 2). Many 1,2-difunctional compounds are accessible via oxidation of C—C multiple bonds. In this case the target molecule may be obtained by simple permanganate oxidation of 2-methyl-2-octene, which may be synthesized by Wittig reaction (disconnection 1). 

Hydroxybenzaldehyde has an agreeable aromatic odor, but is not itself a fragrance. It is, however, a useful intermediate in the synthesis of fragrances. The methyl ether of -hydroxybenzaldehyde, ie, -anisaldehyde, is a commercially important fragrance. Anisaldehyde can be made in a simple one-step synthesis from hydroxybenzaldehyde and methyl chloride. Another important fragrance, 4-(p-hydroxyphenyl)butanone, commonly referred to as raspberry ketone, can be prepared from the reaction of -hydroxybenzaldehyde and acetone, followed by reduction (see Flavors and spices). 

Methyl vinyl ketone can be produced by the reactions of acetone and formaldehyde to form 4-hydroxy-2-butanone, followed by dehydration to the product (267,268). Methyl vinyl ketone can also be produced by the Mannich reaction of acetone, formaldehyde, and diethylamine (269). Preparation via the oxidation of saturated alcohols or ketones such as 2-butanol and methyl ethyl ketone is also known (270), and older patents report the synthesis of methyl vinyl ketone by the hydration of vinylacetylene (271,272). 

Another synthesis of the cortisol side chain from a C17-keto-steroid is shown in Figure 20. Treatment of a C3-protected steroid 3,3-ethanedyidimercapto-androst-4-ene-ll,17-dione [112743-82-5] (144) with a tnhaloacetate, 2inc, and a Lewis acid produces (145). Addition of a phenol and potassium carbonate to (145) in refluxing butanone yields the aryl vinyl ether (146). Concomitant reduction of the C20-ester and the Cll-ketone of (146) with lithium aluminum hydride forms (147). Deprotection of the C3-thioketal, followed by treatment of (148) with y /(7-chlotopetben2oic acid, produces epoxide (149). Hydrolysis of (149) under acidic conditions yields cortisol (29) (181). 

The most recent, and probably most elegant, process for the asymmetric synthesis of (+)-estrone appHes a tandem Claisen rearrangement and intramolecular ene-reaction (Eig. 23). StereochemicaHy pure (185) is synthesized from (2R)-l,2-0-isopropyhdene-3-butanone in an overall yield of 86% in four chemical steps. Heating a toluene solution of (185), enol ether (187), and 2,6-dimethylphenol to 180°C in a sealed tube for 60 h produces (190) in 76% yield after purification. Ozonolysis of (190) followed by base-catalyzed epimerization of the C8a-hydrogen to a C8P-hydrogen (again similar to conversion of (175) to (176)) produces (184) in 46% yield from (190). Aldehyde (184) was converted to 9,11-dehydroestrone methyl ether (177) as discussed above. The overall yield of 9,11-dehydroestrone methyl ether (177) was 17% in five steps from 6-methoxy-l-tetralone (186) and (185) (201). 

The idea of kinetic versus thermodynamic control can be illustrated by discussing briefly the case of formation of enolate anions from unsymmetrical ketones. This is a very important matter for synthesis and will be discussed more fully in Chapter 1 of Part B. Most ketones, highly symmetric ones being the exception, can give rise to more than one enolate. Many studies have shown tiiat the ratio among the possible enolates that are formed depends on the reaction conditions. This can be illustrated for the case of 3-methyl-2-butanone. If the base chosen is a strong, sterically hindered one and the solvent is aptotic, the major enolate formed is 3. If a protic solvent is used or if a weaker base (one comparable in basicity to the ketone enolate) is used, the dominant enolate is 2. Enolate 3 is the kinetic enolate whereas 2 is the thermodynamically favored enolate. 

Many 3-substituted indoles have also been prepared with the use of a-alkyl or a-aryl-p-keto sulfides. Thus indolization of aniline 5 with 3-methylthio-2-butanone 27 furnished indolenine 28, presumably via the same mechanism discussed earlier. The indolenine 28 was relatively unstable and reduced to the indole 29 without purification. Tetrahydrocarbazole 32 was prepared in 58% overall yield. Smith et al. made excellent use of the Gassman process in the total synthesis of (-i-)-paspalicine and (+)-paspalinine. ... 

A eonsiderable potential for the synthesis of heteroeyeles is exhibited by 4,4-dialkoxy-2-butanones (80MI1 80MI2), whieh ean also be produeed from diaeetylene on a large seale. 

The synthesis starts by condensation of readily available optically active (R)-(+)-alpha-methylbenzylamine with 4-phenyl-2-butanone to form an imine which is itself reduced by hy-drogenolysis (Raney nickel) to give a 9 1 mixture of the (R,R)-amine and the (R,S)-amine (4). 

In semiindustrial synthesis, to achieve better yields, it is possible to omit (A), by directly preparing the ester (B) by reaction of p-hydroxy acetophenone on ethyl 2-bromoacetate in the presence of potassium carbonate in butanone. The yield of ester is 90%, and elimination of excess of p-hydroxyacetophenone is effected by washing with sodium hydroxide. 

On the other hand, as mentioned in the preceding subsection, a preparative-scale enzymic synthesis of 1-deoxy-D-r/ireo-pentulose can be achieved, according to Reaction 1, in the presence of an extract of B. pumilus. Obviously, this raises the question of the relevance of Eq. 1 to the production of the pentulose in microorganisms. Acetoin in Reaction 1 could be replaced by 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-butanone (then the by-product is acetone). More interestingly, it can be also replaced by pyruvate, then the pentulose is synthesized according to Reaction 3 ... 

A rapid and efficient one-pot synthesis of substituted 2(5H)-furanones has been reported starting from 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-butanone 88 and ethyl... 

Scheme 12 Total synthesis of (-)-xestospongin A (116), (+)-araguspongine B (129), and (+)-xestospongin C (130) [41]. Experimental conditions i. (a) NaH, THE, (b) -BuLi, (c) 132 a. Ru(II)-S-BINAP, H2, EtOH Hi. LiBH4, Et20 iv. PPTS, 2,2-dimethoxypropane, acetone v. Nal, acetone, reflux vi. 3-picoline, EDA, THE vii. HCl(aq.), EtOH viii. TsCl, EtsN, CH2CI2 ix. Nal, butanone, reflux x. LiBH4, MeOH, i-PrOH xi. DEAD, CH2CI2 xii. H2, Ni (Raney), MeOH xiii. Rh on alumina, MeOH, H2, then add alumina, reflux...

Synthesis of 2-butanol by the nickel-catalyzed hydrogenation of 2-butanone ... 

The sequence detailed here provides 3-(S)-((tert-butyldiphenylsilyl)oxy)-2-butanone in high purity and on a preparative scale from inexpensive (S)-ethyl lactate. This optically active ketone should be a useful intermediate for the preparation of a variety of enantiomerically pure materials. It has been used in our laboratory for an asymmetric synthesis of (+)-muscarine3 and in the preparation of various other optically active tetrahydrofurans.4 Mitsunobu inversion of (S)-ethyl lactate followed by protection to provide 2-(R)-((tert-butyldiphenylsilyl)oxy)propanoate5 affords, by this method, ready access to the enantiomer of the title compound. 

The preparation of enantiomerically pure chemicals is also the theme of the next group of four procedures. The biopolymer polyhydroxybutyric acid, which is now produced on an industrial scale, serves as the starting material for the large scale synthesis of (R)-3-HYDROXYBUTANOIC ACID and (R)-METHYL 3-HYDROXYBUTANOATE. Esters of (-)-camphanic acid are useful derivatives for resolving and determining the enantiomeric purity of primary and secondary alcohols. An optimized preparation of (-)-(1S,4R)-CAMPHANOYL CHLORIDE is provided. The preparation of enantiomerically pure a-hydroxyketones from ethyl lactate is illustrated in the synthesis of (3HS)-[(tert)-BUTYL-DIPHENYLSILYL)OXY]-2-BUTANONE. One use of this chiral a-hydroxyketone is provided in the synthesis of (2S,3S)-3-ACETYL-8-... 

In contrast to Mori s synthesis, Pawar and Chattapadhyay used enzymatically controlled enantiomeric separation as the final step [300]. Butanone H was converted into 3-methylpent-l-en-3-ol I. Reaction with trimethyl orthoacetate and subsequent Claisen-orthoester rearrangement yielded ethyl (E)-5-methyl-hept-4-enoate K. Transformation of K into the aldehyde L, followed by reaction with ethylmagnesium bromide furnished racemic ( )-7-methylnon-6-ene-3-ol M. Its enzyme-catalysed enantioselective transesterification using vinylacetate and lipase from Penicillium or Pseudomonas directly afforded 157, while its enantiomer was obtained from the separated alcohol by standard acetylation. 

Alternative precursors for the synthesis of NHCs are thiourea derivatives of type 3. The preparation of such thiones with a symmetrical substitution pattern is achieved by the reaction of a-hydroxyketones like 3-hydroxy-2-butanone with suitable 2-thiones (Fig. 3d) [31] or by reaction of a diamine with thiophosgene [32, 33]. Unsymmetrically substituted thiones 4 possessing a saturated heterocycle have also been described (Fig. 3e) [34, 35]. 

The diacylation of isopropenyl acetate with anhydrides of dicarboxylic acids is applicable for the synthesis of several other cyclic jS-triketones in moderate yield. - It has been used for the synthesis of 2-acetylcyclohexane-l,3-dione (40% yield), 2-acetyl-4-methylcyclopentane-l,3-dione (10% yield), 2-acetyl-4,4-dimethylcyclopentane-l,3-dione (10% yield), 2-acetyl-5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-l,3-dione (10% yield), 2-acetylcyclo-heptane-l,3-dione (12% yield) and 2-acetylindane-l,3-dione (26% yield). Maleic anhydrides under more drastic conditions give acetylcyclopent-4-ene-l,3-diones in yields from 5% to 12%. The corresponding acylation of the enol acetate of 2-butanone with succinic anhydride has been used to prepare 2-methylcyclopentane-l,3-dione, an important intermediate in steroid synthesis. - ... 

Using a similar strategy, Wong et al. have also reported the synthesis of several iminocyclitols [52]. These authors use 2-azido aldehydes as acceptor to prepare five-membered iminocyclitols and N-Cbz-3-amino aldehydes to prepare six-membered iminocyclitols. Taking advantage of the donor tolerance of FSA, they also employ hydroxyacetone and l-hydroxy-2-butanone to obtain several known and novel iminocyclitols. 

At the opposite end of the philicity spectrum, nucleophilic carbenes have proven useful in synthesis. Warkentin" pioneered the thermolysis of oxadiazolines as precursors for (CH30)2C and related dioxacarbenes (Scheme 7.3). Dimethoxycarbene generated from an oxadiazoline undergoes a variety of intermolecular reactions." One example is the ring enlargement of strained cyclic ketones, for example, cyclo-butanone. In this reaction, the nucleophilic carbene initiates the ring expansion by... 

Further improvement of the synthetic performance of the reaction system was attempted by adapting the composition of the organic phase in such a way that partition of products into the organic phase was enhanced. In the synthesis of (R) -3,3 -furoin, product extraction was increased by 11% when hexane was mixed with 2-octanone in a ratio of 3 1, while replacing hexane with pure 2-octanone, 2-pentanone, 2-butanone, heptane, or decane yielded considerably lower product concentrations. No apparent rule was underlying these results. 

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