Photosynthetic routes to prostaglandins: conversion of 2,3-endo-epoxybicyclo[3.2.0]heptan-6-one into 6,7-endo-epoxy-3-alkoxy-2-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octanes
Abstract
Photolysis of the epoxide (2) in methanol gives the acetal (3), a known prostaglandin precursor; the intermediate oxacarbene is trapped less effectively by homologous alcohols.