Cyclohexanone → Methoxygonadiene

Participants

Reaction Steps

Reflux a mixture of 13β-ethyl-3-methoxy-gona-2,5(10)-dien-17β-ol (0.8 g.), aluminium isopropoxide (0.36 g.), toluene (26 cc.) and cyclohexanone (8 cc.) under nitrogen for 3 hours. Allow the solution to cool under nitrogen, add water (5 cc.) and shake the mixture vigorously. Add anhydrous sodium sulphate (5 g.), shake the mixture again, and then allow to stand for 30 minutes. Filter the solution, combine the filtrate with ether-washings of the residue, and evaporate, first at 30°/20 mm., then at 50°/0.1 mm. to leave as a crystalline solid 13β-ethyl-3-methoxy-gona-2,5(10)-dien-17-one; infrared absorption peaks at 5.78, 5.92, 6.01 μ, with no absorption due to hydroxyl.

Provenance & Evidence