Acetic Acid → 4-(4-Chromanon-3-yl)-2,4-dioxobutyric acid ethyl ester

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A solution of 3-acetyl-4-chromanone (1.8 g, 9.5 mmoles, described in Example 5) in dry tetrahydrofuran (20 ml) is added dropwise to a suspension of 57% sodium hydride (1.17 g, 28.5 mmoles) in tetrahydrofuran (30 ml) and the mixture is heated at reflux temperature for 15 min. A solution of diethyl oxalate (1.39 g, 9.5 mmoles) is added dropwise under an atmosphere of nitrogen. The reaction mixture is heated at reflux temperature overnight and cooled to -40° C. A solution of 50% aqueous acetic acid (4 ml) is added and the reaction mixture evaporated. The residue is partitioned between chloroform and water, the organic phase is separated and the aqueous phase is re-extracted with chloroform. The combined chloroform extracts are dried and evaporated. The residue is subjected to chromatography on silica gel. Elution with chloroform affords 4-(4-chromanon-3-yl)-2,4-dioxobutyric acid ethyl ester (VII; R1, R2, R3R4 and R17 = H, R19 = C2H5 and X = O), which is crystallized from ether, m.p. 117°-119° C.

Provenance & Evidence