Synthesis of medium-sized lactones from siloxy alkynes via ring expansion

Lewis-Acid-Catalyzed Tandem Cyclization by Ring Expansion of Tertiary Cycloalkanols with Propargyl Alcohols

A new method for the efficient synthesis of hexahydro-1H-fluorene and octahydrobenzo[a]azulene derivatives through a ring-expansion strategy is reported. With an appropriate combination of thulium(III) trifluoromethanesulfonate and 13X molecular sieves, a range of unsaturated polycyclic compounds were obtained in good yields. Mechanism studies reveal that the reaction is more likely to undergo Meyer-Schuster rearrangement, ring expansion, and Friedel-Crafts-type pathways, which provide a conceptually different strategy for the ring opening of tertiary cycloalkanols.

Recent advances in catalytic synthesis of medium-ring lactones and their derivatives

In light of the ever-increasing significance of medium-sized lactones across the range of chemical sciences, this review summarizes the recent advances in catalytic synthesis of medium-ring lactones with emphasis on reaction scope and mechanism.