Cyclic fatty acid monomers : synthesis and characterization of methyl w-(2-alkylcyclopentyl) alkenoates and alkanoates

Abstract Some 1,2-disubstituted cyclopentanes were synthesized. These were methyl 9-(2-butyl-cyclopentyl)-8-nonenoate, methyl 7-(2-hexyl-cyclopentyl)-6-heptenoate and methyl 5-(2-octyl-cyclopentyl)-4-pentenoate and their corresponding alkanoates. The synthesis involved a Michael addition of alkylmagnesium bromide to an unsaturated cyclic ester. The resulting cis and trans ethyl 2-alkylcyclopentane carboxylate were further converted to the alcohols then to the aldehydes. The aldehydes were condensed with the ylide derived from the (ω-carboxyalkyl)-triphenylphosphonium bromide and methylsulfinylmethide in DMSO to give unsaturated C18 cyclic fatty acid monomers. These cyclic fatty acids were f…