Reaction Steps
Conjugated malonate 3a (0.5 g, 1.5 mmol), anhydrous lithium chloride (93 mg, 2.2 mmol) and water (53 mg, 3 mmol) in N-methyl-pyrrolidone (2.9 g, 29 mmol) are heated under stirring to 130° C. After 4 h at this temperature the mixture is poured upon 2 M HCl and extracted with tent-butyl methyl ether. The combined organic layers are washed with conc. NaHCO3, conc. NaCl and dried over MgSO4. After filtration and evaporation of the solvent the crude product (0.64 g) is bulb-to-bulb-distilled to give 0.4 g of 4a at 120° C./0.1 mbar. E/Z ratio 82:18. Analytical data of the E-isomer: 1H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 1.0 (s, 6 H), 1.4 (m, 2 H), 1.55 (m, 2 H), 1.6 (s, 3 H), 1.7 (s, 3 H), 1.9 (m, 2 H), 2.1 (4 H), 3.05 (d, 2 H), 3.7 (s, 3 H), 5.35 (t, 1 H) ppm. 13C-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 16.35 (t), 19.5 (t), 19.8 (q), 27.5 (t), 28.6 (q, 2 C), 32.8 (t), 33.5 (t), 34.95 (s), 39.8 (t), 40.0 (t), 51.6 (q), 115.0 (d), 127.1 (s), 136.9 (s), 139.9 (s), 172.9 (s). MS (EI): m/z (%) 264 (M+, 4), 249 ([M-15]+, 1), 190 (3), 175 (3), 138 (10), 137 (100), 136 (21), 121 (12), 106 (11), 95 (73), 81 (45), 55 (19), 41 (21). Retention times (GC): 9.47 (Z), 9.56 (α,β), 9.62 (E) min. The mass spectra of the E- and Z-isomers are identical. IR (film): 2972 (m), 2865 (m), 1738 (s), 1434 (m), 1258 (m), 1199 (m), 1148 (m).