Acetal Formation Facilitated in 2-Hydroxyaryl Aldehydes by Intramolecular Acyl Group Transfer

Abstract

Convenient preparations of synthetically useful acetals, a dithioacetal and an oxathiolan from the 2-acyl derivatives of 2-hydroxyaryl aldehydes under basic conditions are described. The mildness of the reaction conditions is illustrated by the formation of an ethoxycarbonyl -substituted dioxolan . The reaction is dependent upon an intramolecular acetyl group transfer and the mechanism of the reaction is discussed. Some broader implications of this type of acyl transfer are discussed.