Silver triflate-catalysed synthesis of γ-lactones from fatty acids

Abstract

A silver(I)-based catalytic system was found to efficiently promote the double-bond isomerization of unsaturated fatty acids and at the same time to mediate the intramolecular addition of the carboxylate group to the isomerized double bond under selective formation of five-ring lactones. The resulting one-step isomerization–γ-lactonization process allows the direct conversion of unsaturated fatty acids into the corresponding γ-lactones in good yields.