Ethyl (2R)-2-methyl-5-(propan-2-ylidene)cyclopentane-1-carboxylate → Ethyl (2R)-2-methyl-5-oxocyclopentane-1-carboxylate

(2R)-Ethyl 2-methyl-5-(propan-2-ylidene)cyclopentanecarboxylate (24 g, 0.122 mol) in ethyl acetate (100 mL) was cooled to −68° C. with dry ice/isopropanol. Ozonized oxygen (5-7 ft3h−1 of O2) was bubbled through the solution for 3.5 hours. The reaction mixture was flushed with nitrogen at room temperature until the color disappeared. The ethyl acetate was removed under vacuum and the residue was dissolved in 150 mL of acetic acid and cooled by ice water. Then 45 g of zinc powder were added. The solution was stirred for 30 minutes and then filtered. The filtrate was neutralized with 2N NaOH (1.3 L) and NaHCO3. The aqueous phase was extracted with ether (3×200 mL). The organic phase was combined, washed with water, dried and concentrated to afford (2R)-ethyl 2-methyl-5-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate (20 g, 96%). 1H NMR (CDCl3, 400 MHz) δ 4.21 (m, 2H), 2.77 (d, J=11.2 Hz, 1H), 2.60 (m, 1H), 2.50-2.10 (m, 3H), 1.42 (m, 1H), 1.33 (m, 3H), 1.23 (m, 3H).