Methyl 2,4-pentadienoate synthesis

The earlier examples of [2 + 1] cycloaddition of a carbene (or carbenoid) on the double bond of alkylidenecyelopropanes to yield spiropentane derivatives were observed as undesired side reactions in the synthesis of alkylidenecyelopropanes through the addition of a carbene to a substituted allene [161]. In some cases the spiropentane derivative was obtained as the major product [161a, c] especially when a large excess of the carbene reagent was used. For example, when methyl 3,4-pentadienoate (610) was treated with a ten-fold excess of methylene iodide and zinc-copper couple the two products 611 and 612 were isolated in 1 4.5 ratio (Scheme 86) [161a]. 

Fig. 9.5 The prototypical Diels-Alder reaction is that between 1,3-butadiene and ethene, to form cyclohexene. The Diels-Alder reaction has been used in the synthesis of complex natural products above, methyl 2,4-pentadienoate reacts with 1,4-benzoquinone to form an intermediate in the synthesis of the drug reserpine. In a one-pot reaction two carbon-carbon bonds are made and three chiral centers ( ) are created with the correct relative orientations (i.e. essentially one diastereomer is formed)...

At about the same time, a synthesis of leukotriene-A, also termed SRS-A ( slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis ), which made use of the Wittig olefmation was described77). The ylide of 100 is reacted with ethyl 5-formyl-2,4-pentadienoate 101 to give the ( , , Z, Z)- tetraenoic ester 102. Reduction and mesylation of 102, subsequent conversion into the sulfonium salt, and treatment of the latter with a base yields a sulfonium ylide which is reacted with methyl 4-formylbutanoate 69 to the epoxy-tetraenoic ester 103. After separation of the cis-epoxide by HPLC, 103 was treated with the S-trimethylsilyl derivative of glutathione dimethyl ester N-trifluoroacet-amide. The diastereomeric products thus obtained were separated by means of HPLC and hydrolyzed to 104 77) (Scheme 18). 

Simple, neutral electron-rich imines are generally not useful dienophiles unless q>propriately reactive dienes are used. Thus it is possible to effect cycloadditions of neutral imines with some electron-deficient dienes. - In a series of p rs, Langlois and coworkers have described Diels-Alder reactions of cyclic imines and methyl 2,4-pentadienoate to afford adducts used in alkaloid synthesis. For example, the cycloadditicMi shown in equation (IS) was used in a total synthesis of the indole alkaloid vincamine (45). 

A short, convenient, stereoselective synthesis of pepper-derived alkaloids has been carried out by condensing piperonal with the ylide from methyl (E)-4-(diethylphosphono)-2-butenoate to give methyl (E,E)-5-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2,4-pentadienoate, which on methoxide-catalysed aminolysis (piperidine, pyrrolidine, etc.) gave the required alkaloid. 

The rate of Diels-Alder reactions can be increased by the application of high pressure. An early example by Dauben and Kozikowski demonstrated that methyl 1-pentadienoate reacted with 126 to give 127 in 88% yield. 27 Applications of high-pressure techniques to organic synthesis are enumerated in an excellent review by Matsumoto 28 as well as in his monograph. 29 jiie second part of this review 29 deals with high-pressure pericyclic reactions, including Diels-Alder reactions. 

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