Treatment of secondary nitroalkanes with neat silica-supported 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD), at room temperature, allows the direct conversion of the secondary nitro groups to the corresponding keto carbonyls.
1-Nitroicosane as the Key Building Block for the First Synthesis of Triacontan-11-ol, A New Fatty Alcohol Isolated from<b>
<i>Argemone mexicana</i>
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The first synthesis of triacontan-11-ol, a new fatty alcohol isolated from Argemone mexicana, has been realized starting from the nitroaldol reaction of 1-nitroicosane with decanal. Dehydration of the obtained nitroalkanol gives a long-chain nitroalkene which is then reduced to the corresponding nitroalkane. Nef transformation of the latter produces a ketone that is easily reduced to the fatty alcohol 9 in 21% overall yield.