Lead tetraacetate reductive decarboxylation

The 1,4-dihydrobenzoic acids derived from reductive alkylation may undergo facile rearomatization with either loss of the carboxylic acid group or the alkyl group. The gibberellin synthesis intermediate (82), for example, was found to be especially labile, forming (83) simply on exposure to air." Oxidative decarboxylation may be deliberately achieved with lead tetraacetate or electrochemically." Loss of the 1-alkyl group is likely to be a problem when the alkyl moiety can form a reasonably stable free radical, since a chain reaction may then be sustained." ... 

Acrolein cyanhydrin 211 was converted into its methoxymethyl ether 212, in turn alkylated with 1,3-dibromopropane to give the key 6-carbon synthon 213. m-Methoxybenzoic acid was utilized as the ring A component. Reductive alkylation via dianion 215 led to dihydroaromatic intermediate 216 which was decarboxylated with ensuing aromatization using lead tetraacetate (or, alternatively, anodic oxidation) to afford 217 in excellent yield. Unmasking of the carbonyl function generated known enone 218 ° (see Volume 2, pp. 693,697), which was condensed with 2-methyl-1,3-cyclopentanedione 12 to produce prochiral trione 219 in high yield. The latter had been cyclized previously to (+) 15c and thence converted into estrone. Alternatively, trione 219 was cyclo-dehydrated to the well-known estrone precursor estrapentaene 193 (see Volume 2, pp. 697, 701, 705). 

In 1952, Frank B. Colton (1923-2003) at Searle synthesised and later patented norethynodrel, an isomer of norethisterone. An improved synthesis emerged, in which both compounds were obtained, while the aromatisation and Birch reduction could be avoided. [41,42] As starting point serves 5-androsten-3/l-ol-17-one acetate, to which hypochlorous acid is added. Notable is the thermal or photochemical functionalisation of C-19 with lead tetraacetate/iodine, [43] under formation of a cyclic ether. Hydrolysis ofthe ester and oxidation with chromium trioxide leads to a A -enedione, while HCI is eliminated. Reductive opening ofthe ether gives the 19-hydroxy-compound, which can be oxidised with chromium trioxide to the lOjS-carboxylic acid and then decarboxylated in... 

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