IChO 1998 · Theory problem 7

Aromatic lactones of Aspergillus nidulans and a synthesis of D

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The fungus Aspergillus nidulans produces two isomeric aromatic lactones (cyclic esters) A and B (\(\ce{C10H10O4}\)) each of which dissolved in cold aqueous \(\ce{NaOH}\) but not in aqueous \(\ce{NaHCO3}\). Both A and B gave a violet colour with aqueous \(\ce{FeCl3}\). Reaction of A with \(\ce{CH3I}\) in the presence of \(\ce{K2CO3}\) gave C (\(\ce{C11H12O4}\)) which was shown by \({}^{1}\mathrm{H}\) NMR spectroscopy to contain three non-identical methyl groups one of which was bonded directly to an aromatic ring. Selective demethylation of C with \(\ce{BCl3}\) followed by aqueous work up gave D a new isomer of A. The \({}^{1}\mathrm{H}\) NMR spectrum of compound D clearly showed the presence of an intramolecularly hydrogen bonded hydroxyl group at \(\delta\) 11.8 ppm.

Figure 1
Figure 2

Compound D was synthesised as follows: The phenol E was methylated (\(\ce{MeI/K2CO3}\)) to afford F (\(\ce{C9H12O2}\)) which in turn was reduced with lithium metal in liquid ammonia and 2-methyl-propan-2-ol to give the symmetrical unconjugated diene G. Conjugation of this diene was achieved by reaction with \(\ce{KNH2}\) in liquid ammonia followed by aqueous work up, a process which afforded only one product H. Ozonolysis of H followed by non reductive work up afforded amongst other products the ketoester I.

Compound H underwent a Diels-Alder reaction with dimethyl but-2-ynedioate J to give the adduct K (\(\ce{C15H20O6}\)) which upon heating expelled ethene to afford an aromatic ester L. Basic hydrolysis of L followed by acidification of the solution gave M (\(\ce{C11H12O6}\)) which when heated under vacuum yielded N (\(\ce{C11H10O5}\)). Reduction of N with \(\ce{NaBH4}\) in dimethylformamide gave C and an isomeric lactone O which could also be obtained by the methylation of B.

7.1 Using the answer template provided fill in the structures A to O.

7.2 Using the last space on the answer template provide a second structure for B.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 7.1. The structures are listed below. The answer requires correcting the lower-left substituent of E to methoxy.

Phthalide numbering places the carbonyl at C1, the ring oxygen at position 2 and the methylene at C3. Aromatic positions 4–7 run from the methylene end towards the carbonyl end.

Compound Name SMILES
A 5-Hydroxy-7-methoxy-6-methylphthalide O=C1OCc2cc(O)c(C)c(OC)c21
B 4-Hydroxy-6-methoxy-5-methylphthalide; one permissible assignment O=C1OCc2c(O)c(C)c(OC)cc21
C 5,7-Dimethoxy-6-methylphthalide O=C1OCc2cc(OC)c(C)c(OC)c21
D 7-Hydroxy-5-methoxy-6-methylphthalide O=C1OCc2cc(OC)c(C)c(O)c21
E 3-Methoxy-2-methylphenol Oc1c(C)c(OC)ccc1
F 1,3-Dimethoxy-2-methylbenzene COc1c(C)c(OC)ccc1
G 1,5-Dimethoxy-6-methylcyclohexa-1,4-diene COC1=CCC=C(OC)C1C
H 1,3-Dimethoxy-2-methylcyclohexa-1,3-diene COC1=C(C)C(OC)=CCC1
I Methyl 2-oxopropanoate, or methyl pyruvate CC(=O)C(=O)OC
J Dimethyl but-2-ynedioate, or dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate COC(=O)C#CC(=O)OC
K Dimethyl 1,5-dimethoxy-6-methylbicyclo[2.2.2]octa-2,5-diene-2,3-dicarboxylate, racemic CO[C@]12C(C)=C(OC)[C@H](CC1)C(C(=O)OC)=C2C(=O)OC
L Dimethyl 3,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphthalate COC(=O)c1c(C(=O)OC)c(OC)c(C)c(OC)c1
M 3,5-Dimethoxy-4-methylphthalic acid O=C(O)c1c(C(=O)O)c(OC)c(C)c(OC)c1
N 3,5-Dimethoxy-4-methylphthalic anhydride O=C1OC(=O)c2c(OC)c(C)c(OC)cc21
O 4,6-Dimethoxy-5-methylphthalide O=C1OCc2c(OC)c(C)c(OC)cc21

The SMILES for K specifies one enantiomer. Its equally formed mirror image is CO[C@@]12C(C)=C(OC)[C@@H](CC1)C(C(=O)OC)=C2C(=O)OC.

  • 7.2. The second permissible structure for B is 6-hydroxy-4-methoxy-5-methylphthalide, O=C1OCc2c(OC)c(C)c(O)cc21. The two assignments of B may be interchanged between 7.1 and 7.2.

Solution

7.1. Identification of A–O

Phenolic groups and methylation.
Solubility in aqueous hydroxide, insolubility in bicarbonate and the violet ferric-chloride reaction indicate phenolic hydroxyl groups in A and B. The bicarbonate observation also argues against a free carboxylic acid.

Methylation replaces a phenolic hydrogen with methyl, giving the observed formula change:

\[ \ce{C10H10O4 -> C11H12O4}. \]

A balanced general equation for the methylations A → C, B → O and E → F is

\[ \ce{2ArOH + 2CH3I + K2CO3 -> 2ArOCH3 + 2KI + CO2 + H2O}. \]

Here \(\mathrm{Ar}\) denotes the corresponding substituted aromatic framework.

E → F → G: methylation and Birch reduction.
The formula-consistent structure of E is 3-methoxy-2-methylphenol. Methylating its hydroxyl gives F, 1,3-dimethoxy-2-methylbenzene, with the required formula \(\ce{C9H12O2}\).

For this paragraph, retain the aromatic numbering of F: methoxy groups at C1 and C3, and methyl at C2. Birch reduction adds hydrogen at C2 and C5, leaving double bonds C1=C6 and C3=C4. This gives G, whose two halves are equivalent by reflection through the methyl-bearing carbon and the opposite methylene carbon.

The net reduction is

\[ \ce{C9H12O2 + 2Li + 2(CH3)3COH -> C9H14O2 + 2(CH3)3COLi}. \]

The proton donor is 2-methylpropan-2-ol, CC(C)(C)O; its conjugate base is lithium tert-butoxide, [Li+].[O-]C(C)(C)C.

G → H, established by ozonolysis.
Base-catalysed double-bond migration gives the conjugated diene H, with the sequence

\[ \ce{C(OMe)=C(Me)-C(OMe)=CH} \]

along its four-carbon diene unit. The remaining two ring atoms are methylene groups. No atoms are added or removed, so both G and H have formula \(\ce{C9H14O2}\).

Ozonolysis breaks the two double bonds but preserves the single bond between the two middle diene carbons. One of these bears methyl; the other bears methoxy. Their conversion into carbonyl carbons therefore gives

\[ \ce{CH3-C(=O)-C(=O)-OCH3}, \]

which is exactly I, methyl pyruvate.

The complementary carbonyl fragment is methyl 4-oxobutanoate, COC(=O)CCC=O. An atom-balanced representation of the initial cleavage is

\[ \ce{C9H14O2 + 4[O] -> C4H6O3 + C5H8O3}, \]

where \([O]\) denotes an oxygen-atom oxidizing equivalent. During non-reductive work-up, the aldehyde fragment can undergo further oxidation to methyl hydrogen succinate, COC(=O)CCC(=O)O:

\[ \ce{C5H8O3 + [O] -> C5H8O4}. \]

The identification of H depends on the methyl-pyruvate fragment, regardless of the subsequent fate of the complementary fragment.

H + J → K → L: construction of the aromatic substitution pattern.
The terminal diene carbons of H form two new carbon–carbon bonds to the alkyne carbons of J. This produces the bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene K:

\[ \ce{C9H14O2 + C6H6O4 -> C15H20O6}. \]

To draw K, connect its two bridgeheads by three two-carbon paths:

  • \(\ce{-CH2-CH2-}\);
  • \(\ce{-C(Me)=C(OMe)-}\);
  • \(\ce{-C(CO2Me)=C(CO2Me)-}\).

One bridgehead bears methoxy and the other hydrogen. The SMILES in Answers specifies their relative configuration; the reaction gives a racemate.

Heating eliminates the saturated two-carbon bridge as ethene, C=C, and produces the aromatic ester L:

\[ \ce{C15H20O6 ->[\Delta] C13H16O6 + C2H4}. \]

The six substituents around the new benzene ring, in cyclic order, are

\[ \ce{CO2Me,\ CO2Me,\ OMe,\ Me,\ OMe,\ H}. \]

Consequently, L is dimethyl 3,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphthalate.

L → M → N: hydrolysis and anhydride formation.
Basic hydrolysis converts both methyl carboxylate groups into carboxylates. Acidification gives the adjacent dicarboxylic acid M; the aryl methyl ethers remain intact. The overall equation, including acidification, is

\[ \ce{C13H16O6 + 2H2O -> C11H12O6 + 2CH3OH}. \]

The small-molecule products are methanol, CO, and, in the following dehydration, water, O.

Heating the ortho-dicarboxylic acid under vacuum removes water and closes the five-membered anhydride ring:

\[ \ce{C11H12O6 ->[\Delta,\ vacuum] C11H10O5 + H2O}. \]

Thus N is 3,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphthalic anhydride.

N → C and O: the two phthalide orientations.
Reduction can convert either of the two inequivalent anhydride carbonyl groups into the methylene group of a phthalide. The other carbonyl remains as the lactone carbonyl. The balanced net reduction for either product is

\[ \ce{C11H10O5 + 4[H] -> C11H12O4 + H2O}, \]

where \([H]\) denotes a reducing hydrogen equivalent.

The two possible products are therefore:

  • 5,7-dimethoxy-6-methylphthalide;
  • 4,6-dimethoxy-5-methylphthalide.

The hydrogen-bond information determines which is C.

C → D fixes the lactone orientation and identifies A.
A phenolic hydroxyl at phthalide C7 lies adjacent to the lactone carbonyl and can form a strong intramolecular \(\ce{O-H...O=C}\) hydrogen bond. This produces a six-membered hydrogen-bonded arrangement and explains the strongly downfield signal at \(\delta 11.8\ \mathrm{ppm}\). This hydrogen bond is a spatial interaction and is not encoded in ordinary SMILES.

Accordingly:

  • C must be 5,7-dimethoxy-6-methylphthalide.
  • Selective cleavage of its C7 methyl ether gives D, 7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6-methylphthalide.
  • The other reduction product is O, 4,6-dimethoxy-5-methylphthalide.

A balanced overall representation of demethylation and aqueous work-up is

\[ \ce{C11H12O4 + BCl3 + 3H2O -> C10H10O4 + CH3Cl + B(OH)3 + 2HCl}. \]

Because methylation of A gives C, A has the same framework with one methoxy group replaced by hydroxyl. Since D is a different isomer, A must have hydroxyl at C5 and methoxy at C7: 5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-6-methylphthalide.

This assignment also explains the three non-identical methyl groups in C: two inequivalent methoxy groups and one aromatic methyl group.

Identification of B.
Methylation of B gives O, so B must have the 4,6-dioxygenated-5-methylphthalide framework. One oxygen substituent is hydroxyl and the other methoxy. Either placement satisfies all the observations supplied for B.

For 7.1, we choose 4-hydroxy-6-methoxy-5-methylphthalide.

7.2. The second structure for B

Interchanging hydroxyl and methoxy gives 6-hydroxy-4-methoxy-5-methylphthalide, O=C1OCc2c(OC)c(C)c(O)cc21.

Both candidates have formula \(\ce{C10H10O4}\), contain a phenolic hydroxyl, and methylate to the same O. The supplied observations do not distinguish them.

The solution was checked against the official solution.