PROCESS FOR PREPARING CYCLOPENTENOLONES

Abstract: A process is described for preparing cyclopentenolones in good yields which comprises treating a 4-­ hydroxy-4-R₂-5-R₁-2-cyclopentenone of the formula: wherein R₁ is an alkyl group having not more than 6 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having not more than 6 carbon atoms, an alkynyl group having not more than 6 carbon atoms or a group of the formula: (in which R₃ is hydrogen, methyl or halogen) and R₂ is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, provided that when R₂ is hydrogen, R₁ is neither α-methylallyl nor α-methylpropargyl, in an aqueous medium in the presence or absence of a metal salt at a temperature of 20 to 200°C to give the corresponding 2-R₁-3-R₂-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone of the formula: wherein R₁ and R₂ are each as defined above.

Description: "PROCESS FOR PREPARING CYCLOPENTENOLONES" The present invention relates to a process for preparing cyclopentenolones. More particularly, it relates to a novel and improved process for preparing 2-R1-3-R2-4hydroxy-2-cyclopentenones of the formula: EMI1.1 wherein R1 is an alkyl group having not more than 6 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having not more than 6 carbon atoms, an alkynyl group having not more than 6 carbon atoms or a group of the formula: EMI1.2 (in which R3 is hydrogen, methyl or halogen) and R2 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, provided that when R2 is hydrogen, R1 is neither amethylallyl nor a-methylpropargyl. In the above significances, the terms "alkyl", "alkenyl" and "alkynyl" are intended to mean straight, branched and cyclic ones, inclusively. Specific examples of them are methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, allyl, a-methylallyl, a-ethylallyl, 4-pentenyl, propargyl, a-methylpropargyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, 2-cyclopentenyl, 2cyclohexenyl, etc. The term "halogen" is intended to mean chlorine, bromine, fluorine, etc. The 2-R1-3- R2-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenones (I) are useful as the alcoholic components of agricultural chemicals such as allethrines. For their production, various methods are known, some of which are used in industry. But they are still not satisfactory in respect of the yield, the complexity of operations, the problems of environmental pollution, etc. For preparation of the 2-Rl-3-R2-4-hydroxy-2- cyclopentenones (1), there are known two procedures starting from the corresponding 4-hydroxy-4-R2-5-R1-2-cyclopentenones of the formula: EMI2.1 wherein R1 and R2 are each as defined above, of which the one comprises treating the 4-hydroxy-4-R2 -5-R1 -2 -cyclo- pentenones (II) with basic alumina in a solvent mixture of benzene and ether [G.Piancatelli et al.: Tetrahedron, 34, 2775 (1978)3 and the other comprises treating the 4-hydroxy 4-R-5-Rl-2-cyclopentenones (II) with 5 % sodium hydrogen carbonate japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 21146/78]. However, the former procedure is economically disadvantageous in requiring a large amount of expensive alumina. The latter procedure necessitates strong agitation for uniform dispersion of the 4-hydroxy-4-R2-5-R1-2-cyclopentenones (II) into the sodium hydrogen carbonate solu tion and is not satisfactory in the yield of the objective 2-R1-3-R2-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenones (I). On the other hand, it is known that treatment of a prostaglandin intermediate of the formula: EMI3.1 with 1N sulfuric acid in a solvent mixture of water and dioxane affords a prostaglandin of the formula: EMI3.2 tM.B.Ployd, J.Org.Chem., 43, 1641 (1978)1. When the reaction conditions in this treatment are applied to the conversion of the 4-hydroxy-4-R2-5-R1-2-cyclopentenones (II) into the 2-R1-3-R2-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenones (I), various undesired substances result as by-products, and yieldsof the objective 2-Rl-3-R2-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenones (I) are very greatly lowered. As the result of an extensive study, it has now been found that -treatment of the 4-hydroxy-4-R2-5-R1 -2- cyclopentenones (II) in an aqueous medium affords readily the corresponding 2-R1-3-R2-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenones (I) in a good yield. According to the present invention, there is provided a process for preparing the 2-Rl-3-R2-4-hydroxy- 2-cyclopentenones (I) in a good yield within a short period of time which comprises treatment of the corresponding 4 hydroxy-4-R2 -5- R1-2-cyclopentenones (II) in an aqueous medium. The aqueous medium may be constituted with water alone or containing a small amount of any water-miscible or water-immiscible organic solvent (e.g. acetone, tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, toluene, xylene, diisopropyl ether, or benzene). The weight of the aqueous medium in proportion to the starting 4-hydroxy-4-R2-5-R1-2- cyclopentenone (II) may be ordinarily from 0.5 to 100 fold, preferably from 5 to 40 fold. The treatment is usually effected at a temperature of about 20 to 2000C. In order to accelerate the reaction rate, however, the presence of a metal salt in the aqueous medium or the elevation of the temperature to about 120 to 2000C is preferable. In other words, the conversion can be accomplished in a short period of time either in the presence of a metal salt even if the temperature is relatively low (e.g. 20 to 1200C) or at a temperature of about 120 to 2000C even if the metal salt is not present. The pH of the aqueous medium is generally favored to be neutral, and when the movement of the pH to the acidic side by addition of the metal salt is observed, it is preferable to maintain the pH around 7 by incorporation of an appropriate amount of a basic substance into the reaction system. Examples of the metal salt are magnesium chloride, magnesium bromide, magnesium nitrate, magnesium sulfate, maganese chloride, zinc chloride, copper chloride, copper sulfate, cobalt acetate, cobalt chloride, etc. The amount of the metal salt may be usually from 0.001 to 10 mol, preferably from 0.01 to 1 mol, perone mol.of the 2-R1-3-R24-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone (I). The mechanism involved in the reaction of the present invention is still uncertain. However, it may be presumed that the mechanism is substantially the same as in the use of an acid catalyst for the conversion of the prostaglandin intermediate into prdstaglandin but, unlike when an acid catalyst is used, the formation of undesired by-products probably resulting from the aldol condensation of the once produced 2-R1-3-R2-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone (I) is markedly inhi.bited. The starting 4-hydroxy-4-R2-5-Rl-2-cyclopentenone (II) can be produced, for instance, by reacting a furfural of the formula: EMI5.1 wherein R2 is as defined above with an organic metal halide of the formula: R1MX wherein M is Mg, Zn or Awl(2/3), X is chlorine, bromine or iodine and R1 is as defined above, the organic metal halide being obtainable by reacting a halide of the formula: R1X with Mg, Zn or Al, and heating the resultant furan compound of the formula: EMI6.1 wherein R1 and R2 are each as defined above with water in the presence of a metal salt. Alternatively, the 4-hydroxy-4-R2-5-Rl-2-cyclo- pentenones(II) wherein R2 is methyl are obtainable by the following method as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 21146/78: EMI6.2 <tb> <SEP> Electrolytic <tb> <SEP> BuLi <SEP> I <SEP> I <SEP> BuLi <SEP> z <SEP> u <SEP> oxidation <tb> H <SEP> Co <SEP> R-CH2Br <SEP> 3 <SEP> 2 <SEP> 3 <tb> <SEP> 3 <SEP> 3 <SEP> 2 <SEP> 3 <tb> EMI6.3 or by the following method as disclosed in G. Piancatelli et al.: Tetrahedron Letters, 39, 3555 (1976) and ibid., 34, 2775 (1978): EMI6.4 EMI7.1 <tb> <SEP> o <tb> <SEP> j <SEP> Acetone <SEP> S <SEP> R <tb> H3CO <SEP> CH-R <SEP> Water, <SEP> ZnC12 <SEP> z <SEP> I <SEP> | <SEP> CH3 <tb> <SEP> 3 <tb> <SEP> I <SEP> OH <tb> <SEP> OH <tb> Practical and presently preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustratively shown in the following Examples. Example 1 Into a reaction vessel a solution of 4-hydroxy-4methyl-5-allyl-2-cyclopentenone (3 g) and MgC12.6H2O (4.0 g) in water (120 ml) was charged, and the temperature was elevated to 100 C. The contents were adjusted to pH 7.3 with 0.1N NaOH solution, and stirring was continued at 1000C for 4 hours, during which the pH was maintained at 7.0 to 7.3. After cooling, NaCl (40 g) was added to the reaction mixture, and the resultant mixture was extracted with ether (120 ml) 4 times. The extracts were combined together, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and concentrated at 400C under reduced pressure to give an oily substance (2.7 g). The oily substance was chromatographed with silica gel (30 g), followed by development with a solvent mixture of ethyl acetate and hexane (1 : 2 by volume) to give 2-allyl 3-methyl-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone (2.6 g). Yield, 87 %. N.M.R. (CDC13, internal standard TMS, 6 ppm, 90 MHz): 5.71 (complex m, 1H, -CH2-CH=CHaRb); 5.06 (m, 1H, -CH2-CH=CHaRb); 4.93 (m, 1H, -CH2-CH=CHaRb); 4.74 (broad d, lH, 4-H); 3.94 (broad s, lH, 4-OH); 2.96 (d, 2H, -CH2-CHCHaHb); 2.85 (d of d, 1H, 5-H); 2.27 (d of d, 1H, 5-H); 2.11 (s, 3H, 3-CH3). Example 2 Into a reaction vessel a solution of 4-hydroxy-4 methyl-5-propargyl-2-cyclopentenone (3 g) and MgC12.6H2O (4.0 g) in water (120 ml) was charged, and the temperature was elevated to 1000C. The contents were adjusted to pH 6.8 with 0.1N NaOH solution, and stirring was continued at 1000C for 4 hours, during which the pH was maintained at 6.8 to 7.0. After cooling, NaCl (40 g) was added to the reaction mixture and extracted with ether (120 ml) 4 times. The extracts were combined together, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and concentrated at 400C under reduced pressure to give an oily substance (2.5 g). The oily substance was chromatographed with silica gel (30 g), followed by development with a solvent mixture of ethyl acetate and hexane (1 : 2 by volume) to give 2-propargyl-3methyl-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone (2.3 g). Yield, 77 %. N.M.R. (CDCl3, internal standard TMS, 6 ppm, 90 MHz): 4.60 (broad d, 1H, 4-H); 3.95 (broad s, 1H, 4-OH); 3.04 (d, 2H, -CH2-C-H); 2.65 (d of d, lH, 5-H); 2.38 (d of d, 1H, 5-H); 2.20 (s, 3H, 3-CH3); 1.98 (s, 1H, C=CH). Examples 3 to 18 In the same manner as in Example 1, the 4-hydroxy4-R2-5-R1-2-cyclopentenone (II) (3 g) was treated to give the corresponding 2-R1-3-R2-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone (I). The reaction conditions and the yields are shown in Table 1. EMI10.1 Example <SEP> 4-Hydroxy-4-R2-5-R1-2- <SEP> Amount <SEP> of <SEP> pH <SEP> Yield <SEP> of <SEP> 2-R1-3 <SEP> cyclopentenona <SEP> (II) <SEP> MgCl2.6H2O <SEP> R2-4-hydroxy-2 <SEP> used <SEP> (g) <SEP> cyclopentenone <tb> <SEP> R1 <SEP> R2 <SEP> (I) <tb> <SEP> 3 <SEP> Methyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 4.8 <SEP> 6.8 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.1 <SEP> 88 <tb> <SEP> 4 <SEP> Propyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 4.0 <SEP> 6.5 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.1 <SEP> 83 <tb> <SEP> 5 <SEP> Pentyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 3.0 <SEP> 7.0 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.2 <SEP> 83 <tb> <SEP> 6 <SEP> Cyclohexyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 3.1 <SEP> 7.0 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.1 <SEP> 86 <tb> <SEP> 7 <SEP> 2-cis-Pentenyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 3.2 <SEP> 7.0 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.4 <SEP> 90 <tb> <SEP> 8 <SEP> Benzyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 3.0 <SEP> 6.8 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.1 <SEP> 85 <tb> <SEP> 9 <SEP> p-Methylbenzyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 2.8 <SEP> 6.7 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.0 <SEP> 79 <tb> <SEP> 10 <SEP> p-Chlorobenzyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 2.6 <SEP> 6.8 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.4 <SEP> 81 <tb> <SEP> 11 <SEP> Methyl <SEP> Hydrogen <SEP> 4.5 <SEP> 6.9 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.2 <SEP> 87 <tb> <SEP> 12 <SEP> Pentyl <SEP> Hydrogen <SEP> 3.5 <SEP> 6.8 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.3 <SEP> 85 <tb> <SEP> 13 <SEP> Hexyl <SEP> Hydrogen <SEP> 3.5 <SEP> 7.0 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.2 <SEP> 88 <tb> <SEP> 14 <SEP> Cyclohexyl <SEP> Hydrogen <SEP> 3.5 <SEP> 6.7 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.1 <SEP> 91 <tb> <SEP> 15 <SEP> 2-cis-Pentenyl <SEP> Hydrogen <SEP> 3.5 <SEP> 6.8 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.2 <SEP> 92 <tb> <SEP> 16 <SEP> Benzyl <SEP> Hydrogen <SEP> 3.0 <SEP> 6.8 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.2 <SEP> 90 <tb> <SEP> 17 <SEP> p-Methylbenzyl <SEP> Hydrogen <SEP> 3.0 <SEP> 7.0 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.3 <SEP> 78 <tb> <SEP> 18 <SEP> p-Chlorobenzyl <SEP> Hydrogen <SEP> 3.0 <SEP> 6.6 <SEP> - <SEP> 7.0 <SEP> 83 <tb> Table 1 Example 19 Into a reaction vessel a solution of 4-hydroxy-4methyl-5-allyl-2-cyclopentenone (3 g) and ZnC12 (5 g) in water (120 ml) was charged, and the temperature was elevated to 1000C. The contents were refluxed for 15 hours while stirring. After cooling, NaCl (40 g) was added to the reaction mixture, and the resulting mixture was extracted with toluene (120 ml) 4 times. The extracts were combined together and concentrated at 500C under reduced pressure to give an oily substance (2.5 g). The oily substance was chromatographed on silica gel (30 g), followed by development with a solvent mixture of ethyl acetate and hexane (1 2 by volume) to give-2-allyl-3-methyl-4-hydroxy-2-cyclo- pentenone (2.4 g). Yield, 80 %. Examples 20 to 23 In the same manner as in Example 19, 4-hydroxy-4methyl-5-allyl-2-cyclopentenone (3 g) was treated to give 2allyl-3-methyl-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone. The reaction conditions and the yields are shown in Table 2. Table 2 EMI11.1 <tb> Example <SEP> Metal <SEP> salt <SEP> used <SEP> Amount <SEP> of <SEP> metal <SEP> Reaction <SEP> Yield <tb> <SEP> salt <SEP> used <SEP> time <SEP> (hr) <SEP> (%) <tb> <SEP> 20 <SEP> MgCl2.6H2O <SEP> 10 <SEP> 50 <SEP> 70 <tb> <SEP> 21 <SEP> CoC12 <SEP> 6H2O <SEP> 5 <SEP> 5 <SEP> 40 <SEP> 72 <tb> <SEP> 22 <SEP> CuCl2.2H20 <SEP> 10 <SEP> 24 <SEP> 69 <tb> <SEP> 23 <SEP> CuSO4 <SEP> 10 <SEP> 24 <SEP> ; <SEP> 65 <tb> Example 24 Into an autoclave 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-5-allyl-2cyclopentenone (20 g) and water (400 ml) were charged, and the resultant mixture was stirred at 1800C for 6 hours in nitrogen atmosphere. After cooling, sodium chloride (50 g) was added to the reaction mixture, and the resulting mixture was extracted with methyl isobutyl ketone. The extract was concentrated under reduced pressure to give 2-allyl-3methyl-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone (19 g). Yield, 95 %. M.P. 130 - 1320C/1.2 mmHg. Example 25 Into an autoclave 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-5-propargyl-2cyclopentenone (3 g) and water (400' ml) were charged, and the resultant mixture was stirred at 1500C for 6 hours in nitrogen atmosphere. After cooling, sodium chloride (50 g) was added to the reaction mixture; the resulting mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The extract was concentrated under reduced pressure and purified by column chromatography to give 2-propargyl-3-methyl-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone (2.7 g). Yield, 90 %. n21 1.5148. D Examples 26 to 41 In the same manner as in Example 25, the 4-hydroxy4-R2 -5-R1-2-cyclopentenone (Il) (3 g) was treated to give the corresponding 2-R1-3-R2 - 4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone (I). The reaction conditions and the yields are shown in Table 3. EMI13.1 Example <SEP> 4-Hydroxy-4-R2-5-R1-2-cyclo <SEP> Reaction <SEP> Yield <SEP> of <SEP> 2-R1-3 <SEP> pentenone <SEP> (II) <SEP> temper- <SEP> R2-4-hydroxy-2 <SEP> ature <SEP> ( C) <SEP> cyclopentenone <SEP> (I) <tb> <SEP> R1 <SEP> R2 <tb> <SEP> 26 <SEP> Methyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 180 <SEP> 88 <tb> <SEP> 27 <SEP> Propyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 180 <SEP> 83 <tb> <SEP> 28 <SEP> Hexyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 180 <SEP> 83 <tb> <SEP> 29 <SEP> Cyclohexyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 180 <SEP> 86 <tb> <SEP> 30 <SEP> 2-Cyclopentenyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 180 <SEP> 90 <tb> <SEP> 31 <SEP> 2-Cyclohexenyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 180 <SEP> 85 <tb> <SEP> 32 <SEP> &alpha;-Methylallyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 180 <SEP> 79 <tb> <SEP> 33 <SEP> &alpha; ;-Ethylallyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 180 <SEP> 81 <tb> <SEP> 34 <SEP> 2-cis-Pentenyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 180 <SEP> 87 <tb> <SEP> 35 <SEP> &alpha;-Methylpropargyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 150 <SEP> 85 <tb> <SEP> 36 <SEP> Benzyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 180 <SEP> 88 <tb> <SEP> 37 <SEP> p-Methylbenzyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 180 <SEP> 91 <tb> <SEP> 38 <SEP> p-Chlorobenzyl <SEP> Methyl <SEP> 180 <SEP> 92 <tb> <SEP> 39 <SEP> Methyl <SEP> Hydrogen <SEP> 170 <SEP> 90 <tb> <SEP> 40 <SEP> Hexyl <SEP> Hydrogen <SEP> 170 <SEP> 78 <tb> <SEP> 41 <SEP> Benzyl <SEP> Hydrogen <SEP> 170 <SEP> 83 <tb> Table 3

Claims: What is claimed is: 1. A process for preparing cyclopentenolones which comprises treating a 4-hydroxy-4-R2-5-R1-2-cyclo- pentenone of the formula: EMI14.1 wherein R1 is an alkyl group having not more than 6 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having not more than 6 carbon atoms, an alkynyl group having not more than6 carbon atoms or a group of the formula: EMI14.2 (in which R3 is hydrogen, methyl or halogen) and R2 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, provided that when R2 is hydrogen, R1 is neither amethylallyl nor -methylpropargyl, in an aqueous medium to give the corresponding 2-Rl-3-R2-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenone of the formula: EMI14.3 wherein R1 and R2 are each as defined above. 2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the treatment is carried out at a temperature of 20 to 2000C. 3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the treatment is carried out at a temperature of 120 to 2000C. 4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the treatment is carried out in the presence of a metal salt.

Inventors: MINAI, MASAYOSHI, SAITO, KENJI, YAMACHIKA, HIROSHI
Applicants: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
Application year: 1981
Main classification: C07C45
IPC codes: C07C45