Application of Organolithium and Related Reagents in Synthesis, Part 31: Effective Conversion of 3‐Arylphthalides into 2‐(1‐Aryl‐3‐oxo‐4‐alkoxycarbonyl‐butyl)benzoic Acids

Abstract

A convenient three‐step protocol preparation of the ortho‐alkylated (long‐chain substituent with terminal methylcarbonyl or acetoacetate moiety) aromatic carboxylic acids 15 or 16 from benzoic acids anilides 10 was developed, which exploited the reductive alkylation of phthalides 13 with dimethyl‐6‐methylene‐4‐(trimethoxysiloxy)‐1,3‐diox‐4‐ene (9) as a key step.

Keywords:

• Acetoacetic esters
• benzoic acids
• 6‐methyl‐1,3‐dioxin‐4‐one
• Mukaiyama reaction