TY - JOUR A1 - Krüger, Tobias A1 - Linker, Torsten T1 - Synthesis of gamma-spirolactams by Birch reduction of arenes JF - European journal of organic chemistry N2 - A convenient method for the synthesis of gamma-spirolactams in only three steps is described. Birch reduction of inexpensive and commercially available aromatic carboxylic acids in the presence of chloroacetonitrile affords nitriles in moderate to good yields. Suitable precursors are methyl-substituted benzoic acids, naphthoic, and anthroic acid. Subsequent catalytic hydrogenation proceeds smoothly with PtO2 or Raney Ni as catalysts and lactams are isolated in excellent yields and stereoselectivities. Thus, up to 3 new stereogenic centers can be constructed as sole diastereomers from achiral benzoic acids. Furthermore, it is possible to control the degree of saturation at different pressures, affording products with 0, 1, or 2 double bonds. Overall, more than 15 new gamma-spirolactams have been synthesized in analytically pure form. KW - Arenes KW - Birch reduction KW - Hydrogenation KW - Lactams KW - Synthetic methods Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/ejoc.202100056 SN - 1099-0690 VL - 2021 IS - 10 SP - 1585 EP - 1591 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Krüger, Tobias A1 - Bramborg, Andrea A1 - Kelling, Alexandra A1 - Sperlich, Eric A1 - Linker, Torsten T1 - Birch Reduction of Arenes as an Easy Entry to γ-Spirolactones JF - European journal of organic chemistry N2 - A convenient method for the synthesis of γ-spirolactones in only 2–3 steps is described. Birch reduction of inexpensive and commercially available aromatic carboxylic acids in the presence of ethylene oxide affords hydroxy acids, which undergo direct lactonization during work-up. Suitable precursors are methyl-substituted benzoic acids, naphthoic, and dicarboxylic acids. Subsequent hydrogenation proceeds smoothly with Pd/C as catalyst and saturated γ-spirolactones are isolated in excellent yields and stereoselectivities. Thus, up to 3 new stereogenic centers can be constructed as sole diastereomers from achiral benzoic acids. Furthermore, it is possible to control the degree of saturation with Raney nickel or Wilkinson's catalyst to obtain products with 1 double bond. Overall, more than 30 new γ-spirolactones have been synthesized in analytically pure form. KW - Arenes KW - Birch reduction KW - Hydrogenation KW - Lactones KW - Synthetic methods Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/ejoc.202101018 SN - 1434-193X SN - 1099-0690 VL - 2021 IS - 46 SP - 6383 EP - 6391 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Krüger, Tobias A1 - Kelling, Alexandra A1 - Schilde, Uwe A1 - Linker, Torsten T1 - Simple Synthesis of gamma-Spirolactams by Birch Reduction of Benzoic Acids JF - European journal of organic chemistry N2 - A convenient synthesis of gamma-spirolactams in only two steps was developed. Birch reduction of benzoic acids and immediate alkylation with chloroacetonitrile afforded cyclohexadienes in high yields. The products could be isolated by crystallization on a large scale in analytically pure form. Subsequent hydrogenation with platinum(IV) oxide as the catalyst reduced the nitrile functionality and the double bonds in the same step with excellent stereoselectivity. The relative configurations were determined unequivocally by X-ray analyses. Direct cyclization of the intermediary formed amino acids afforded the desired gamma-spirolactams in excellent overall yields. The procedure is characterized by few steps, cheap reagents, and can be performed on a large scale, interesting for industrial processes. KW - Diastereoselectivity KW - Hydrogenation KW - Lactams KW - Reduction KW - Synthetic methods Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/ejoc.201601650 SN - 1434-193X SN - 1099-0690 IS - 6 SP - 1074 EP - 1077 PB - Wiley-VCH CY - Weinheim ER -