Dimethyl ether monoacetate

The monoacetate 9a (R1 = Ac) and the diacetate 10a (R1 = R2 = Ac) are obtained by treatment of 8 with acetic anhydride in anhydrous pyridine at room temperature 4 the oxo group in position 5 of 8 is more reactive towards acetylation. Similarly, the S,S-dioxidc of 8 can be converted to the bisacetylated S,5-dioxide of 10a in 78 % yield.74 Methylation of 8 with diazomethane gives 9c (65 % yield), along with 14 % of the 3-methoxy compound 11. Other alkylation agents, such as dimethyl sulfate in the presence of potassium carbonate, selectively give 9c, albeit in lower (30 %) yield.90 The dimethyl enol ether 10c (R1 = R2 = Me) is obtained by a subsequent methylation of 9c (R1 = Me) with dimethyl sulfate and potassium teri-butoxide.90... 

The synthesis in Scheme 13.41 is also built on the desymmetrization concept but uses a very different intermediate. cA-5,7-Dimethylcycloheptadiene was acetoxylated with Pd(OAc)2 and the resulting all-cA-diacetate intermediate was enantioselectively hydrolyzed with a lipase to give a monoacetate that was protected as the TBDMS ether. An anti Sw2 displacement by dimethyl cuprate established the correct configuration of the C(2) methyl substituent. Oxidative ring cleavage and lactonization gave the final product. 

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