Studies on K2CO3-catalyzed 1,4-addition of 1,2-allenic ketones with diethyl malonate: controlled selective synthesis of beta,gamma-unsaturated enones and alpha-pyrones.

The K2CO3 (10 mol %)-catalyzed 1,4-addition reaction of diethyl malonate with various substituted 1,2-allenic ketones leading to polyfunctionalized beta,gamma-unsaturated enones 3 or 4 was studied. With 3-unsubstituted 1-substituted-1,2-allenyl ketones, the highly selective formation of beta,gamma-unsaturated enones 4 was observed; with 1,2-allenyl ketones bearing one or two 3-substituents in the allenyl group, only beta,gamma-unsaturated enones 3 with an unmigrated carbon-carbon double bond were produced; with 3-monosubstituted-1,2-allenyl ketones Z-beta,gamma-unsaturated enones 3 were formed with excellent stereoselectivity (E:Z > 96:4); with propadienyl ketones, mixtures of beta,gamma-unsaturated enones 3 and 4 were formed. alpha-Pyrone derivatives were synthesized via the K(2)CO(3)-catalyzed or -promoted reaction of 1,2-allenic ketones with diethyl malonate via a sequential Michael addition-carbon-carbon double bond migration-lactonization process.