On the mechanism of pyrrole formation in the knorr pyrrole synthesis and by porphobilinogen synthase

Abstract

Attempts to synthesise a derivative of N-vinylaminoethanal either by oxidation of the corresponding alcohol or by hydrolysis of the corresponding dithioacetal were unsuccessful, but such derivatives were characterised by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy of reactions between ethyl 2-aminoacetoacetate and an excess of ethyl acetoacetate, leading to diethyl 2,4-dimethylpyrrole-3,5-dicarboxylate.