[3,3]-Sigmatropic rearrangements of propargyl alkynyl ethers. Synthesis of complex dienoates and unsaturated lactones.

In an extension of our studies on low-temperature rearrangements of 1-alkynyl ethers, we describe herein the [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of in situ formed propargyl alkynyl ethers to allenyl ketenes, which furnish complex tert-butyl-(2E,4Z)-dienoates 2 in good yields upon tert-butanol addition. Similarly, sigmatropic rearrangements of in situ formed propargyl lithioalkynyl ethers yield methyl-(2Z,4Z)-dienoates 4 upon methanol addition or unsaturated lactones 6 upon aldehyde or ketone addition to the allenyl ynolate intermediate.

Synthesis of alkynyl ethers and low-temperature sigmatropic rearrangement of allyl and benzyl alkynyl ethers.

Alpha-alkoxy ketones 3 can be transformed into 1-alkynyl ethers 5 by a two-step procedure involving formation of the enol triflate or phosphate and base-induced elimination. Performing the same reaction sequence with allylic alcohols (R2OH, R2 = allyl) furnishes instead gamma,delta-unsaturated carboxylic acid derivatives 6, derived from [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of the intermediate allyl alkynyl ethers at -78 degrees C and trapping of the subsequently formed ketene with nucleophiles (Nu-H). Benzyl alkynyl ether 5 (R2 = benzyl) rearranges to indanone 7 upon heating to 60 degrees C.