The Synthesis of Substituted α, β-Butenolides from γ-Hydroxy-α, β-Acetylenic Esters

Abstract

The α, β-butenolide ring system is found in a number of physiologically important natural products² and there has been recent interest in the development of methods of synthesis of compounds of this type.³ It is well known that α, β-unsubstituted butenolides may be prepared by catalytic hydrogenation of γ-hydroxy acetylenic acids.^4,5b Recently, an excellent route of γ-hydroxy acetylenic esters which involves the addition of the lithium acetylide salts of propiolic esters to aldehydes⁵ and ketones⁶ has become available. We have carried out the addition of ethyl lithiopropiolate (1) to cyclohexanone (2) and 4-t-butylcyclohexanone (3) and wish to report the conversion of these adducts into corresponding β-methyl or β-methyl-α-allyl-α, β-butenolides.