Citronellal thermal cyclization

The tandem-Knoevenagel-ene reaction is a powerful tool to synthesize five-and six-membered carbocycles.2 5 The process is exemplified by the diastereoselective synthesis of 4a. Compound 4a has been obtained In both enantiomeric forms and as a racemate according to the procedure described here. The sequence includes the Knoevenagel reaction of citronellal, 1, and dimethyl malonate, 2, followed by the intramolecular ene cyclization of the chiral 1,7-diene 3 to yield the trans 1,2-disubstituted products 4a and 4b. Whereas the thermal cyclization of 3 at 160°C provides 4a and 4 b in a ratio of only 89.7 10.3, the Lewis acid... 

Ene catalyst.1 FeCl3 is superior to ZnBr2 or alkylaluminum halides as a catalyst for ene cyclization of the chiral 1,7-diene 1, the Knoevenagel adduct from citronellal and dimethyl malonate. Thermal cyclization provides the 1,2-trans-substituted... 

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