Process for preparing methyl jasmonate and related compounds

Claim 1

A process for preparing a 3-oxo-cyclopentaneacetic acid derivative represented by following formula I ##STR4## wherein R represents an alkenyl radical of 4 to 6 carbon atoms wherein the unsaturation is in the 2-, 3- or 4-position and R 1 is methyl or ethyl, which comprises the following steps: (A) mixing at a temperature between about -30° and +30° C in an inert organic solvent substantially one molar proportion of a succinoyl halide with substantially four molar proportions of a salt represented by the formula ##STR5## wherein Y represents A COOR 1 group wherein R 1 represents methyl or ethyl, X + represents an alkali metal cation or a monovalent magnesium cation selected from the group MgBR + , MgCl + and MgI + , pouring the reaction mixture into a vigorously stirred mixture of an excess of concentrated mineral acid, ice and water, separating the organic layer, washing it free of excess mineral acid with aqueous concentrated alkali metal bicarbonate and drying and recovering the said reaction product, a diketo compound represented by following formula II ##STR6## wherein Y has the meaning previously given; (B) mixing compound II in aqueous alkaline medium at about 0° to 30° C for about 0.5 to 2 hours to cyclize compound II to form the corresponding 3-oxo-1-cyclopenteneacetic acid derivative; (C) reducing the cyclopentene ring of the last-named compound with hydrogen in the presence of a noble metal or a noble metal oxide as the catalyst to give the corresponding cyclopentane derivative; (D) alkylating the so-obtained 3-oxo-cyclopentaneacetic acid derivative at position 2 with a compound of the formula alkynyl-X wherein "alkynyl" represents a C 4 -C 6 aliphatic chain containing a triple bond in the 2-, 3- or 4- position and X represents a leaving group selected from Cl, Br, ONO 2 , tosylate and mesylate, to give a compound of following formula V ##STR7## wherein R 1 and alkynyl have the meaning previously given; (E) eliminating the COOR 1 group at position 2 of the cyclopentanone ring; and (F) selectively hydrogenating the alkynyl group to a cis- olefin group by means of hydrogen gas at substantially room temperature and substantially atmospheric pressure in the presence of a palladium catalyst and recovering the product.