Diethyl Ether → 4-(3-Hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-1-en-1-yl)but-3-en-2-one

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Reaction Steps

Retro-ionone (1.9 g) was added to a solution of m-chloroperbenzoic acid (2.2 g) dissolved in dichloromethane. This resulted in an exothermic reaction (~40°). After cooling, the mixture was washed with an aqueous sodium carbonate solution dried over MgSO4 and taken to dryness to yield the epoxide, the 1-(2,6,6-Trimethyl-2,3-epoxy-1-cyclohexylidene)-buten-2-one. This epoxide (~2 g) was dissolved in a solution of methanolic sodium methoxide (1.4 Molar; 20 ml) and left at RT for 1/2 hour (instant color change and probably complete reaction). Dilution with ether followed by a brine washing yielded 1-(2,6,6,-trimethyl-3-hydroxy-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3-oxo-1-butene, upon chromatography over silica gel.

Provenance & Evidence