Intramolecular Aldolizations

Morpholine-catalyzed Aldolization of Cyclopentanone with Benzaldehyde to Give Enone 43 [40]. Cyclopentanone (37 g, 0.5 mol), morpholine (4.4 g, 0.05 mol, 10 mol%), and benzaldehyde (53 g, 0.5 mol) tvere heated under reflux in dry benzene (100 mL) for 10 h using a Dean-Stark trap. The resulting crude product tvas distilled to furnish enone 43 (45 g, 52%, Bp.o.os = 115-120 °C). 

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Cydopentane reagents used in synthesis are usually derived from cyclopentanone (R.A. Ellison, 1973). Classically they are made by base-catalyzed intramolecular aldol or ester condensations (see also p. 55). An important example is 2-methylcydopentane-l,3-dione. It is synthesized by intramolecular acylation of diethyl propionylsucdnate dianion followed by saponification and decarboxylation. This cyclization only worked with potassium t-butoxide in boiling xylene (R. Bucourt, 1965). Faster routes to this diketone start with succinic acid or its anhydride. A Friedel-Crafts acylation with 2-acetoxy-2-butene in nitrobenzene or with pro-pionyl chloride in nitromethane leads to acylated adducts, which are deacylated in aqueous acids (V.J. Grenda, 1967 L.E. Schick, 1969). A new promising route to substituted cyclopent-2-enones makes use of intermediate 5-nitro-l,3-diones (D. Seebach, 1977). 

In an intramolecular aldol condensation of a diketone many products are conceivable, since four different ends can be made. Five- and six-membered rings, however, wUl be formed preferentially. Kinetic or thermodynamic control or different acid-base catalysts may also induce selectivity. In the Lewis acid-catalyzed aldol condensation given below, the more substituted enol is formed preferentially (E.J. Corey, 1963 B, 1965B). 

The decarboxylation of allyl /3-keto carboxylates generates 7r-allylpalladium enolates. Aldol condensation and Michael addition are typical reactions for metal enolates. Actually Pd enolates undergo intramolecular aldol condensation and Michael addition. When an aldehyde group is present in the allyl fi-keto ester 738, intramolecular aldol condensation takes place yielding the cyclic aldol 739 as a main product[463]. At the same time, the diketone 740 is formed as a minor product by /3-eIimination. This is Pd-catalyzed aldol condensation under neutral conditions. The reaction proceeds even in the presence of water, showing that the Pd enolate is not decomposed with water. The spiro-aldol 742 is obtained from 741. Allyl acetates with other EWGs such as allyl malonate, cyanoacetate 743, and sulfonylacetate undergo similar aldol-type cycliza-tions[464]. 

Category Ih cyclizations effect closure of the C2 C3 bond. Scheme 3.1 depicts retrosynthetic transformations corresponding to syntheses in category lb. Included are three variations of the intramolecular aldol condensation and reductive coupling of o,/V-diacylanilines,... 

The product of this Michael addition has the necessary functionality to undergo an intramolecular aldol condensation... 

Both the conjugate addition step and the intramolecular aldol condensation step can be carried out in one synthetic operation without isolat mg any of the intermediates along the way For example consider the reaction... 

A combination of conju gate addition of an enolate anion to an a p unsaturated ketone with subsequent intramolecular aldol condensation... 

Give the structure of the product denved by intramolecular aldol condensation of the keto aldehyde shown... 

Robinson annotation (Section 18 13) The combination of a Michael addition and an intramolecular aldol condensation used as a synthetic method for nng formation... 

Protonated pyridazine is attacked by nucleophilic acyl radicals at positions 4 and 5 to give 4,5-diacylpyridazines. When acyl radicals with a hydrogen atom at the a-position to the carbonyl group are used, the diacylpyridazines are mainly converted into cyclo-penta[ f]pyridazines by intramolecular aldol reactions (Scheme 43). 

Both the conjugate addition step and the intramolecular aldol... 

Mechanistically, the reaction of diketosulfides and glyoxal likely proceeds via an initial aldol reaction to provide 22. A second intramolecular aldol reaction and the elimination of two equivalents of water produce the thiophene 23. The timing of the elimination reactions and the ring-closing, carbonyl condensation reaction is not completely understood. However, 2,5-disubstituted thiophenes 23 are available in good yields via this process. 

The reaction of hexa-2,4-diyn-l-al (64) with mercaptoacetaldehyde leads to 2-formyl-5-(prop-l-ynyl)thiophene (65). The addition direction is governed by the aldehyde group via intramolecular aldol condensation in the intermediate (77HOU947). 

This tricyclic ring system was prepared from the functionalized pyrazo[l,5-n]pyridines. Thus, pyrazo[l,5-n]pyridine-3-carboxylate 462 gave 465 upon mesylation and subsequent reaction with 2-ethoxy-2-lithioxyethy-lene, whose cyclization afforded 466 (94AP435). Intramolecular aldol... 

The next step is an intramolecular aldol reaction leading to closure of a six-membered ring. Subsequent dehydration yields the bicyclic enone 4 ... 

Figure 23.4 Intramolecular aldol reaction of 2,5-hexanedione yields 3-methyl-2-cyclopentenone rather than the alternative cyclopropene.

The selectivity observed in the intramolecular aldol reaction of 2,5-hexanedione is due to the fact that all steps in the mechanism are reversible, so an... 

Intramolecular Claisen condensations can be carried out with diesters, just as intramolecular aldol condensations can be carried out with diketones (Section 23.6). Called the Dieckmann cyclization, the reaction works best on 1.6-diesters and 1,7-diesters. Intramolecular Claisen cyclization of a 1,6-diester gives a five-membered cyclic /3-keto ester, and cyclization of a 1,7-diester gives a six-membered cyclic /3-keto ester. 

The Robinson annulation is a two-step process that combines a Michael reaction with an intramolecular aldol reaction. It takes place between a nucleophilic donor, such as a /3-keto ester, an enamine, or a /3-diketone, and an a,/3-unsaturated ketone acceptor, such as 3-buten-2-one. The product is a substituted 2-cyclohexenone. 

The first step of the Robinson annulation is simply a Michael reaction. An enamine or an enolate ion from a jS-keto ester or /3-diketone effects a conjugate addition to an a-,/3-unsaturated ketone, yielding a 1,5-diketone. But as we saw in Section 23.6,1,5-diketones undergo intramolecular aldol condensation to yield cyclohexenones when treated with base. Thus, the final product contains a six-membered ring, and an annulation has been accomplished. An example occurs during the commercial synthesis of the steroid hormone estrone (figure 23.9). 

In this example, the /3-diketone 2-methyJ-l,3-cyclopentanedione is used to generate the enolate ion required for Michael reaction and an aryl-substituted a,/3-unsaturated ketone is used as the acceptor. Base-catalyzed Michael reaction between the two partners yields an intermediate triketone, which then cyclizes in an intramolecular aldol condensation to give a Robinson annulation product. Several further transformations are required to complete the synthesis of estrone. 

The aldol reaction is a carbonyl condensation that occurs between two aldehyde or ketone molecules. Aldol reactions are reversible, leading first to a /3-hydroxy aldehyde or ketone and then to an cr,/6-unsaturated product. Mixed aldol condensations between two different aldehydes or ketones generally give a mixture of all four possible products. A mixed reaction can be successful, however, if one of the two partners is an unusually good donor (ethyl aceto-acetate, for instance) or if it can act only as an acceptor (formaldehyde and benzaldehyde, for instance). Intramolecular aldol condensations of 1,4- and 1,5-diketones are also successful and provide a good way to make five-and six-inembered rings. 

Carbonyl condensation reactions are widely used in synthesis. One example of their versatility is the Robinson anuulation reaction, which leads to the formation of an substituted cyclohexenone. Treatment of a /3-diketone or /3-keto ester with an a,/3-unsaturated ketone leads first to a Michael addition, which is followed by intramolecular aldol cyclization. Condensation reactions are also used widely in nature for the biosynthesis of such molecules as fats and steroids. 

The following molecule was formed by an intramolecular aldol reaction. What dicarbonyl precursor was used for its preparation ... 

Intramolecular aldol cyclization of 2,5-heptanedione with aqueous NaOH yields a mixture of two enone products in the approximate ratio 9 1. Write their structures, and show how each is formed. 

Treatment of the minor product formed in the intramolecular aldol cyclization of 2,5-heptanedione (Problems 23.30 and 23.31) with aqueous NaOH converts it into the major product. Propose a mechanism to account for this base-catalyzed isomerization. 

The Stork enamine reaction and the intramolecular aldol reaction can be carried out in sequence to allow the synthesis of cyclohexenones. For example, reaction of the pyrrolidine enamine of cyclohexanone with 3-buten-2-one. followed by enamine hydrolysis and base treatment, yields the product indicated. Write each step, and show the mechanism of each. 

How could you prepare the following cvclohexenones by combining a Stork enamine reaction with an intramolecular aldol condensation (See Problem 23.53.)... 

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