Unprotected propargyl alcohol

The novel heliannane-type sesquiterpenoid (-)-heliannuol E was synthesized in the laboratory of K. Shishido. Interest in the total synthesis of this natural product was not only spurred by its irregular terpenoid structure and significant biological activity but the need to establish the absolute stereochemistry at the C2 and C4 stereocenters. The Sonogashira reaction was utilized to prepare the 3-arylpropargyl alcohol by coupling of a heavily substituted aryl iodide with an unprotected propargyl alcohol in quantitative yield. 

Coupling of excess (Z)-l,2-dichloroethene (217) with propargyl alcohol first led to the enyne 218, which, when subjected to a second Pd-catalyzed coupling step with trimethylsilylacetylene, provided the mixed diacetylene 219. With all carbon atoms assembled, the allene function was generated by first producing the (unprotected) hydrazine derivative 220, which on treatment with either diethyl azodicarboxylate (DEAD) or 4-methyl-l,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (MTAD) under anaerobic conditions at 0 °C yielded the hydrocarbon 27. According to mechanistic studies, the latter process leads first to a mixture of ( )- and (Z)-diazenes. Sigmatropic elimination of... 

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