Three-carbon ring expansion by cyclopropane insertion: Macrocyclic musks from readily available C-12 starting materials

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ol0487027

(Equation Presented) A thermal three-carbon ring expansion based on side chain ring insertion of a cyclopropane moiety is described. Flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) of 1-cyclopropyl-cycloalk-3-enol derivatives leads to the three-carbon ring expanded enones with clean retention of double bond geometry. Substrates bearing methyl groups on the cyclopropane ring undergo regioselective bond cleavage, allowing for the systematic preparation of selectively substituted macrocyclic musks from low-priced C-12 starting compounds.