PAPER
A Convenient Synthesis of the (E)-Monoacetates of 2-Alkylidenepropane-1,3-diols
2697
Diethyl 2-[4-(Trifluoromethyl)benzylidene]malonate (1c);
Typical Procedure
HRMS (ESI-TOF): m/z [M + Na]+ calcd for C11H11F3O2: 255.0603;
found: 255.0646.
A clear, colorless solution of 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzaldehyde
(4.00 mL, 30.0 mmol, 1.00 equiv), diethyl malonate (4.76 mL, 31.5
mmol, 1.05 equiv), and benzoic acid (403 mg, 3.30 mmol, 0.11
equiv) in benzene (15 mL) was stirred at 120 °C for 17 h using a
Dean–Stark trap. The mixture was then diluted with EtOAc (200
mL), washed with sat. aq NaHCO3 (100 mL) and sat. aq NaCl (100
mL), and dried (anhyd MgSO4). The crude product was chromato-
graphed (silica gel, EtOAc–hexane, 1:10) to afford 1c. Yield: 8.99
g (95%); colorless plate crystals; mp 49–50 °C.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): d = 1.28 (t, J = 7.1 Hz, 3 H, CH2CH3),
1.35 (t, J = 7.1 Hz, 3 H, CH2CH3), 4.33 (q, J = 7.1 Hz, 2 H,
CH2CH3), 4.34 (q, J = 7.1 Hz, 2 H, CH2CH3), 7.57 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2
H, ArH), 7.64 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2 H, ArH), 7.75 (s, 1 H, =CH).
2-(4-Chlorobenzylidene)propane-1,3-diol (2d)
Colorless cotton crystals; mp 103–105 °C.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): d = 2.24 (br s, 2 H, 2 OH), 4.40 (s, 2
H, CH2), 4.42 (s, 2 H, CH2), 6.60 (s, 1 H, =CH), 7.21 (d, J = 8.5 Hz,
2 H, ArH), 7.32 (d, J = 8.5 Hz, 2 H, ArH).
13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): d = 60.6, 67.6, 128.5, 128.6, 130.2,
133.3, 134.6, 139.8.
HRMS (ESI-TOF): m/z [M + Na]+ calcd for C10H11ClO2: 221.0340;
found: 221.0321.
2-(4-Methylbenzylidene)propane-1,3-diol (2e)
Colorless plate crystals; mp 107–108 °C.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): d = 2.08 (t, J = 4.8 Hz, 1 H, OH), 2.11
(t, J = 4.8 Hz, 1 H, OH), 2.36 (s, 3 H, CH3), 4.41 (d, J = 4.8 Hz, 2
H, CH2), 4.48 (d, J = 4.8 Hz, 2 H, CH2), 6.63 (s, 1 H, =CH), 7.17 (s,
4 H, ArH).
13C NMR (100 MHz, CD3OD): d = 21.2, 59.2, 65.5, 129.2, 129.9,
135.2, 137.9, 141.0.
HRMS (ESI-TOF): m/z [M + Na]+ calcd for C11H14O2: 201.0886;
13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): d = 13.9, 14.1, 61.97, 61.99, 123.7 (q,
3
1JC–F = 272 Hz), 125.7 (q, JC–F = 3.7 Hz), 128.8, 129.5, 131.9 (q,
2JC–F = 32.8 Hz), 136.5, 140.2, 163.7, 166.0.
HRMS (ESI-TOF): m/z [M + Na]+ calcd for C15H15F3O4: 339.0815;
found: 339.0808.
Diethyl 2-(2,4,6-Trimethylbenzylidene)malonate (1h)
Colorless oil.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): d = 0.95 (t, J = 7.1 Hz, 3 H, CH2CH3),
1.35 (t, J = 7.1 Hz, 3 H, CH2CH3), 2.17 (s, 6 H, 2 CH3), 2.26 (s, 3
H, CH3), 4.02 (q, J = 7.1 Hz, 2 H, CH2CH3), 4.32 (q, J = 7.1 Hz, 2
H, CH2CH3), 6.82 (s, 2 H, ArH), 7.87 (s, 1 H, =CH).
found: 201.0888.
2-(3-Methylbenzylidene)propane-1,3-diol (2f)
Colorless oil.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): d = 2.30 (s, 3 H, CH3), 3.50 (br s, 1 H,
OH), 3.63 (br s, 1 H, OH), 4.31 (s, 2 H, CH2), 4.37 (s, 2 H, CH2),
6.55 (s, 1 H, =CH), 7.01–7.05 (m, 3 H, ArH), 7.18 (t, J = 8.0 Hz, 1
H, ArH-5).
13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): d = 21.4, 60.1, 66.9, 125.9, 128.0,
128.2, 129.5, 129.7, 136.1, 137.8, 139.1.
13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): d = 13.6, 14.2, 20.1, 21.0, 61.0, 61.6,
127.9, 130.5, 131.1, 135.1, 137.7, 145.5, 163.7, 165.2.
HRMS (ESI-TOF): m/z [M + H]+ calcd for C17H22O4: 291.1591;
found: 291.1617.
2-(4-Methoxybenzylidene)propane-1,3-diol (2b); Typical
Procedure3a
HRMS (ESI-TOF): m/z [M + Na]+ calcd for C11H14O2: 201.0886;
To a colorless solution of diethyl 2-(4-methoxybenzylidene)mal-
onate (1b)6 (5.44 g, 22.0 mmol, 1.00 equiv) in dry toluene (10 mL)
was added dropwise at –30 °C a solution of 0.99 M DIBAL-H in tol-
uene (100 mL, 99.0 mmol, 4.50 equiv) under an argon atmosphere.
The mixture was stirred at –30 °C for 3 h, and then quenched at the
same temperature with MeOH (10 mL). To the mixture was added
a solution of potassium sodium tartrate (126 g) in H2O (350 mL).
After stirring at r.t. for 1 h, the mixture was extracted with EtOAc
(3 × 200 mL), and the EtOAc layers were combined, washed with
brine, dried (anhyd MgSO4), and evaporated. The crude product
was chromatographed (silica gel, EtOAc–hexane, 2:1) to afford 2b.
Yield: 2.04 g (48%); colorless powder; mp 69–70 °C.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): d = 2.14 (t, J = 5.7 Hz, 1 H, OH), 2.21
(t, J = 5.4 Hz, 1 H, OH), 3.82 (s, 3 H, OCH3), 4.39 (d, J = 5.4 Hz, 2
H, CH2), 4.47 (d, J = 5.7Hz, 2 H, CH2), 6.60 (s, 1 H, =CH), 6.89 (d,
J = 8.8 Hz, 2 H, ArH-3), 7.22 (d, J = 8.8 Hz, 2 H, ArH-2).
13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): d = 55.3, 60.9, 68.0, 113.8, 128.7,
129.8, 130.2, 137.6, 158.9.
found: 201.0888.
2-(2-Methylbenzylidene)propane-1,3-diol (2g)
Colorless powder; mp 61–62 °C.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): d = 2.23 (s, 3 H, CH3), 3.05 (br s, 1 H,
OH), 3.15 (br s, 1 H, OH), 4.29 (s, 2 H, CH2), 4.39 (s, 2 H, CH2),
6.62 (s, 1 H, =CH), 7.12–7.20 (m, 4 H, ArH).
13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): d = 19.9, 60.5, 66.9, 125.6, 127.6,
128.6, 129.1, 129.9, 135.3, 136.4, 139.2.
HRMS (ESI-TOF): m/z [M + Na]+ calcd for C11H14O2: 201.0886;
found: 201.0888.
2-(2,4,6-Trimethylbenzylidene)propane-1,3-diol (2h)
Colorless powder; mp 88–89 °C.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): d = 2.11 (s, 6 H, 2 CH3), 2.25 (s, 3 H,
CH3), 2.93 (br s, 1 H, OH), 3.27 (br s, 1 H, OH), 4.01 (s, 2 H, CH2),
4.38 (s, 2 H, CH2), 6.37 (s, 1 H, =CH), 6.83 (s, 2 H, ArH).
13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): d = 20.3, 20.9, 60.8, 66.1, 127.3,
128.0, 132.2, 135.9, 136.5, 139.8.
HRMS (ESI-TOF): m/z [M + Na]+ calcd for C11H14O3: 217.0835;
found: 217.0820.
HRMS (ESI-TOF): m/z [M + Na]+ calcd for C13H18O2: 229.1199;
found: 229.1197.
2-[4-(Trifluoromethyl)benzylidene]propane-1,3-diol (2c)
Colorless powder; mp 97–99 °C.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): d = 3.35 (br s, 2 H, 2 OH), 4.36 (s, 2
H, CH2), 4.38 (s, 2 H, CH2), 6.64 (s, 1 H, =CH), 7.34 (d, J = 8.4 Hz,
2 H, ArH), 7.56 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2 H, ArH).
13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): d = 60.4, 67.3, 124.1 (q, 1JC–F = 272
Hz), 125.3 (q, 3JC–F = 3.8 Hz), 128.2, 129.1, 129.3 (q, 2JC–F = 32.5
Hz), 139.7, 141.2.
2-(3-Phenylpropylidene)propane-1,3-diol (2i)
Colorless oil.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): d = 2.39 (q, J = 7.6 Hz, 2 H,
CH2CH=), 2.59 (br s, 1 H, OH), 2.67 (t, J = 7.6 Hz, 2 H, PhCH2),
3.01 (br s, 1 H, OH), 4.11 (s, 4 H, 2 CH2), 5.56 (t, J = 7.6 Hz, 1 H,
=CH), 7.15–7.20 (m, 3 H, ArH), 7.24–7.29 (m, 2 H, ArH).
Synthesis 2008, No. 17, 2695–2700 © Thieme Stuttgart · New York