Abstract
Racemic 2-isopropyl-2-methylhex-5-enal has been synthesised in order to probe ene cyclisations leading to menthol analogues. The objective was first to discover catalytic conditions for preferential cyclisation to the menthol rather than the neomenthol series and then to develop (dynamic) kinetic resolution procedures which afforded a single enantiomer of product. It was found that catalytic quantities of both Me2AlCl and a bulky methylaluminium bis(phenoxide) reagent gave products attributed to a Meerwein-Pondorff-Verley reaction. In this the aldehyde is reduced to a primary alcohol and the ene product oxidised to the corresponding α,β-unsaturated ketone. By contrast, a related bulky chloroaluminium reagent catalysed the ene cyclisation cleanly, but preferentially to the undesired neomenthyl stereoisomer.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: Collection of Czechoslovak Chemical Communications
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.