decreases the difference in the electron density on Cα and Cβ
similar to what happens with 4. The difference is, however,
larger than that in 4. This indicates that the electrons lie more
on Cβ by replacement of the hydrogen at the para-position of
the benzene ring with the electron donative methoxy group.
It is not necessary to take into account the participation of
the steric factor on the reaction of β-methylstyrenes; therefore,
the electronic factor plays a role in determining the regio-
selectivity of the reaction. As a consequence, it is reasonable for
the methoxylation to take place at Cα which has a lower electron
density.
vacuo to give ethyl 4-(p-methoxybenzoyl)butanoate (23.17 g,
0.090 mol, 24%); mp 56–58ЊC.
The keto ester (9.97 g, 0.040 mol) was hydrogenated over
Raney Ni prepared from Ni–Al alloy (6 g) in methanol for 12 h.
The catalyst and solvent were removed and distillation gave
ethyl 5-hydroxy-5-(p-methoxyphenyl)pentanoate (9.10 g, 96%).
The hydroxy ester (9.10 g, 0.037 mol) was heated in refluxing
benzene with toluene-p-sulfonic acid (1.01 g, 0.005 mol) by
using Dean–Stark trap for 10 min. The solution was washed
with 5% sodium carbonate solution and dried over sodium
sulfate. Distillation gave ethyl (E)-5-(p-methoxyphenyl)pent-
4-enoate (6.8 g, 0.030 mol, 81%); mp 59–61 ЊC.
The intramolecular attack of the nucleophile occurred on Cβ
as well as Cα in the reaction of 5-arylpent-4-en-1-ols, different
from the case of 4 and 5. Because the electronic situation of
5-arylpent-4-en-1-ols is considered to be not very different
from that of β-methylstyrenes, the MO parameters of 4, 5 and
the p-methyl analogue were applied to the examination of 5-
arylpent-4-en-1-ols. In the reaction of 1, the intramolecular
nucleophilic attack preferably occurred on Cα with a lower elec-
tron density in methanol and ethanol, while the attack appar-
ently occurred more on Cβ with a higher electron density than
Cα in less polar solvents. The experimental evidence suggests
that the regioselectivity is controlled by another factor as well
as electronic factors in the intramolecular nucleophilic reaction.
There is no appreciable difference in the steric environment
of the two carbon atoms in the mercurinium ion intermediate
for the 5-arylpent-4-en-1-ols employed here. It is generally
accepted that the formation of a five-membered ring is kinetic-
ally preferable to that of a six-membered ring.9 Baldwin pro-
posed that the opening of three-membered rings to form
cyclic structures generally follows the exo-mode.10 From a
stereochemical point of view, the five-membered ring should be
formed rather than the six-membered one in this reaction. The
experimental evidence for 1 showed that electronic and steric
factors operate competitively and that the latter becomes pre-
dominant when the difference in the electron density is small at
the carbon atoms in the mercurinium ion moiety. The intra-
molecular nucleophile predominantly attacks at Cβ with a high-
er electron density to give the five-membered ring compounds.
The attack of an intramolecular nucleophile exclusively
occurred on Cα in the reaction of the para-methoxy compounds
irrespective of the nature of the solvent. Because the electron-
donating ability of the methoxy group is large, an appreciable
difference in the electron density between Cα and Cβ is main-
tained in the solvents used and the regioselectivity of the intra-
molecular nucleophilic attack is preferably controlled by the
electronic factor.
Treatment of the pentenoate with LiAlH4 in diethyl ether
gave (E)-5-(p-methoxyphenyl)pent-4-en-1-ol (2.79 g, 70%), mp
72–74 ЊC; δH (400 MHz; CDCl3; J values in Hz), 1.72 (2 H, m,
2-H), 1.98 (1 H, s, OH), 2.26 (2 H, m, 3-H), 3.67 (2 H, t, J
6.4, 1-H), 3.79 (3 H, s, aromatic-OCH3), 6.07 (1 H, dt, J 15.8,
6.8, 4-H) and 6.35 (1 H, d, J 5.6, 5-H), 6.81 (2 H, d, J 12.8,
aromatic) and 7.26 (2 H, d, J 12.8, aromatic).
(E)-5-Phenylpent-4-en-1-ol: bp 115–122 ЊC (0.6 mmHg);
δH (400 MHz; CDCl3), 1.73 (2 H, m, 2-H), 1.93 (1 H, s, OH),
2.29 (2 H, m, 3-H), 3.67 (2 H, t, J 6.8, 1-H), 6.22 (1 H, dt, J
16.0, 6.8, 4-H), 6.41 (1 H, d, J 16.0, 5-H), 7.15–7.34 (5 H, m,
aromatic); δC(100 MHz; CDCl3), 29.2 (C2), 32.1 (C3), 62.2
(C1), 130.3 (C5), 130.0 (C4), 125.6, 125.9, 126.9, 128.3, 128.4,
137.6 (aromatic).
(E)-5-(p-Methylphenyl)pent-4-en-1-ol: bp 140–141 ЊC (0.5
mmHg) (Found: C, 81.50; H, 8.95. C12H16O requires C, 81.77;
H, 9.15); δH (400 MHz; CDCl3), 1.73 (2 H, m, 2-H), 1.79 (1 H, s,
OH), 2.31 (3 H, s, aromatic-CH3), 2.48 (2 H, m, 3-H), 3.68 (2 H,
t, J 6.6, 1-H), 6.16 (1 H, dt, J 15.6, 6.8, 4-H), 6.38 (1 H, d, J
15.6, 5-H), 7.06–7.24 (4 H, m, aromatic); δC(100 MHz;
CDCl3), 21.1 (CH3), 29.2 (C2), 32.2 (C3), 62.3 (C1), 129.1 (C4),
130.1 (C5), 125.8, 126.4, 128.2, 128.9, 134.8, 136.6 (aromatic).
Methoxymercuration
Methoxymercuration of (E)-1-arylprop-1-ene. (E)-1-Phenyl-
prop-1-ene (1.53 g, 0.013 mol) in methanol (30 cm3) was added
to a mixture of Hg(OAc)2 (5.30 g, 0.016 mol) in methanol (100
cm3) at room temp. and stirred for 24 h. Sodium hydroxide
(3.0 , 16 cm3) was added, followed by NaBH4 (0.32 g, 0.008
mol) in NaOH (3.0 , 16 cm3) at 0 ЊC. The precipitated Hg was
removed by filtration. The product was isolated by diethyl ether
extraction. After drying over Na2SO4, solvent was removed and
distillation gave the product, which was subjected to analytical
GLC.
The product from (E)-1-phenylprop-1-ene, 1-methoxy-1-
phenylpropane, had bp 71–72 ЊC (25 mmHg); an authentic
sample was prepared from commercially available 1-phenyl-
propan-1-ol by the Williamson synthesis; δH (400 MHz; CDCl3),
0.87 (3 H, t, J 7.0, 3-H), 1.67–1.83 (2 H, m, 2-H), 3.21 (3 H, s,
OCH3), 4.01 (1 H, t, J 6.4, 1-H), 7.18–7.45 (5 H, m, aromatic);
δC(100 MHz; CDCl3), 10.2 (C3), 30.8 (C2), 56.6 (OCH3), 85.5
(aromatic-OCH3), 126.7, 127.4, 128.2, 142.1 (aromatic).
That from the para-methoxy compound, 1-methoxy-1-(p-
methoxyphenyl)propane had bp 71–72 ЊC (25 mmHg); an
authentic sample was prepared from 1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-
propan-1-ol13 by the Williamson synthesis; δH (400 MHz;
CDCl3), 0.85 (3 H, t, J 7.1, 3-H), 1.63–1.82 (2 H, m, 2-H), 3.15
(3 H, s, OCH3), 3.80 (3 H, s, aromatic-OCH3), 3.96 (1 H, t, J 6.4,
1-H), 7.18–7.45 (4 H, m, aromatic); δC(100 MHz; CDCl3), 10.2
(C1), 30.8 (C2), 55.2 (OCH3), 56.3 (aromatic-OCH3), 85.0 (C1),
113.6, 127.9, 134.1, 159.0 (aromatic).
The para-methyl analogue showed regioselectivity between
that of 1 and 3 due to the order of the electron donating ability
of the substituents.
In summary, the electronic factor operates mainly to deter-
mine the regioselectivity of the intermolecular alkoxy-
mercuration, whereas the regioselectivity is controlled by a
delicate balance of both steric and electronic factors in the
intramolecular reaction.
Experimental
Materials
(E)-1-Phenyl- and (E)-1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-pent-1-ene are
commercially available. 5-(p-Methoxyphenyl)pent-4-en-1-ol was
prepared by the method in the literature.11 5-Phenyl12 and 5-(p-
methylphenyl) analogues were prepared in a similar manner.
(E)-5-(p-Methoxyphenyl)pent-4-en-1-ol.
Ethyl-4-chloro-
Intramolecular alkoxymercuration of (E)-5-arylpent-4-en-1-ol
The (E)-5-arylpent-4-en-1-ol (0.06 mol) in the appropriate
solvent (10 cm3) was added to a Hg(OAc)2 (23.5 g, 0.07 mol) in
the same solvent (50 cm3) at room temp. and stirred for 24 h.
Sodium hydroxide (3.0 , 10 cm3) was added, followed by
NaBH4 (0.2 g, 0.005 mol) in NaOH (3.0 , 10 cm3) at 0 ЊC. The
formylbutanoate (42.70 g, 0.24 mol) was slowly added to a
stirred mixture of anisole (25.84 g, 0.24 mol) and AlCl3 (63.48
g, 0.49 mol) in dichloromethane (100 cm3) at 0 ЊC. The mixture
was stirred at 0–5 ЊC for 3 h and quenched with cold dil. HCl.
The solvent was evaporated and the residue was distillated in
J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 2, 1997
1145