Peterson olefination acid esters

The nucleophilic attack on an acceptor-substituted allene can also take place at the acceptor itself, especially in the case of carbonyl groups of aldehydes, ketones or esters. Allenic esters are reduced to the corresponding primary alcohols by means of diisobutylaluminum hydride [18] and the synthesis of a vinylallene (allenene) by Peterson olefination of an allenyl ketone has also been reported [172]. The nucleophilic attack of allenylboranes 189 on butadienals 188 was investigated intensively by Wang and co-workers (Scheme 7.31) [184, 203, 248, 249]. The stereochemistry of the obtained secondary alcohol 190 depends on the substitution pattern. Fortunately, the synthesis of the desired Z-configured hepta-l,2,4-trien-6-ynes 191 is possible both by syn-elimination with the help of potassium hydride and by anti-elimination induced by sulfuric acid. Analogous allylboranes instead of the allenes 189 can be reacted also with the aldehydes 188 [250]. 

With ester 62 in hand, we carried out a Peterson olefination, which gave rise to diene 76 after acidic work-up. This compound was then treated with a salt of DCC and Mel to aftbrd the iododiene 60. 

The following acid-catalyzed cyclizations leading to steroid hormone precursors exemplify some important facts an acetylenic bond is less nucleophilic than an olelinic bond acetylenic bonds tend to form cyclopentane rather than cyclohexane derivatives, if there is a choice in proton-catalyzed olefin cyclizations the thermodynamically most stable Irons connection of cyclohexane rings is obtained selectively electroneutral nucleophilic agents such as ethylene carbonate can be used to terminate the cationic cyclization process forming stable enol derivatives which can be hydrolyzed to carbonyl compounds without this nucleophile and with trifluoroacetic acid the corresponding enol ester may be obtained (M.B. Gravestock, 1978, A,B P.E. Peterson, 1969). 

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