An Alternative Prostaglandin Analog Synthesis Strategy:¹ An Initial α-Ylation Sequence for Bis-Unsaturated Prostaglandins

Abstract

Studies from a number of laboratories have led to prostaglandin analogs of high potency and increased specificity largely by variation of the ω chain, that is the alkyl unit beyond C-15: particularly intriguing analogs being the 16,16-dimethyl-,³ 20-ethyl-,⁴ and various substituted 16-benzyloxy-nor-17,18,19,20-prostaglandin analogs.⁵ At present these are prepared by the standard Corey route,⁶ in which ω-ylation precedes α-ylation.