Methylenesuccinic anhydride

Photochromism of fulgides is a molecular phenomenon based on the photocyclization of substituted bis-methylenesuccinic anhydrides or fulgides (328) to l,8 -dihydronaphthalene (l,8a-DHN, 329)2 (Scheme 33). 

Butyrolactones can be obtained from carbonyls and the /8-lithiopropionate (58), derived from /3-bromopropionic acid by sequential treatment with n-butyl-lithium and lithium naphthalenide. Although yields are generally less than 50%, the method could find use as a simple route to spirolactones. The spirolac-tone (59), a potential precursor of the trichothecane antibiotic verrucarin A, has been obtained by a Diels-Alder reaction using a-methylenesuccinic anhydride as ene component followed by borohydride reduction to the lactone. Spirolactone... 

Some thermosets are made with maleic anhydride only, or with other unsaturated 1,2-dicarboxylic acids or anhydrides such as itaconic acid or methylenesuccinic acid [7], chlorendic acid or 1,4.5,6,7,7-hexachloro-5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (or anhydride), 1,4.5,6,7-pentachloro-5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid anhydride or 1,4.5,6-tetrachloro-5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid anhydride. These norbomene derivatives can be obtained from the Diels-Alder condensation of the chlorinated cyclopenta-1,3-dienes and maleic anhydride, as shown in the following reaction ... 

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