Synthesis and characterization of some oxidized derivatives of citronellal ethylene acetal
Three pairs of geometrical isomers corresponding to allylic monooxidation products of the trisubstituted olefin, citronellal ethylene acetal (3), were synthesized. These compounds were the E and Z isomers of 7-(1,3-dioxolan-2-yl)-2,6-dimethyl-2-hepten-1-ol, -1-al, and -1-oic acid (methyl ester), precursors for identifying the biodegradation products from citronellal and some of its derivatives. The E aldehyde (4) was obtained from 3 by the Sharpless procedure with catalytic quantities of selenium dioxide. The E ester (5) and E alcohol (6) were prepared in high isomeric purity (97–99%) from 4 with activated manganese dioxide and sodium borohydride, respectively. Selective ozonolysis of the isobutenyl group in 3 gave 5-(1,3-dioxolan-2-yl)-4-methyl-1-pentanal (7). Under the conditions used, ozone did not react with the ethylene acetal group. Acetal aldehyde (7) was stereoselectively converted to the Z alcohol (8) by a Wittig reaction. Manganese dioxide oxidation of 8 (98–99% Z isomer) to the Z aldehyde (9) and of 9 to the Z ester (10) was accompanied by partial Z to E isomerization. The distribution of E and Z isomers in crude reaction mixtures was determined by gas chromatography with a glass capillary column or by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.