Synthesis of Terpenes Containing the Bicycloheptane Ring System by the Intramolecular Cycloaddition Reaction of Vinylketenes with Alkenes. Preparation of Chrysanthenone, β-Pinene, β-cis-Bergamotene, β-trans-Bergamotene, β-Copaene, and β-Ylangene and Lemnalol

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00384a035

Treatment of geranoyl chloride (20) with triethylamine in toluene at reflux gave the vinylketene 21 which underwent a <2 + 2> cycloaddition to give 7,7-dimethyl-2-methylenebicyclo<3.1.1>heptan-6-one (24) in 43percent yield.Isomerization over Pd gave chrysanthenone (6) in quantitative yield.Wolf-Kischner reduction gave β-pinene (5) in 70percent yield.A similar sequence of reactions starting from (Z,E)- and (E,E)-farnesoyl chloride gave ketones 51 and 57, which were converted to β-cis-bergamotene (8) and β-trans-bergamotene (9), respectively. β-Copaene (10) and β-ylangene (11) were prepared from 57 by a three-step sequence.Treatment of the imidazole 59 with tri-n-butyltin hydride in toluene at reflux gave a 46percent yield of a 1:1 mixture of 10 and 11.Selenium dioxide oxidation of 11 gave the antitumor agent lemnalol.The mechanisms of the regiospecific ketene generation and the <2+2> cycloaddition reaction have been explored, and the reactivity of the novel bicyclo<3.1.1>heptanones has been examined.