A Practical Synthesis of (Z)- and (E)-8-Dodecene-1-yl Acetate, Components of Lepidoptera Insect Sex Pheromones

New and practical synthesis of (Z)-8-dodecene-1-yl-acetate and (E)-8-dodecene-1-yl acetate were developed. The synthesis were based on a C-3+C-6=C-9 and C-9+C-3=C-2 coupling scheme, the starting material being 2-propyn-1-ol and 1,6-hexandiol The routes involve, as the key step, the use of the same mercury derivative of the terminal-alkyne omega-functionalised as intermediate. The first coupling reaction took place between methoxyallene and Grignard reagent of 1-tert-butoxy-6-bromo-hexan obtaining 1-tert-butoxy-non-8-yne, which is transformed in di[1-tert-butoxy-non-8-yne]mercury, the common intermediate in the synthesis of the two pheromones. In order to obtain (Z)-8-dodecene-1-yl acetate and (E)-8-dodecene-1-yl acetate, the mercury derivative was directly lithiated and then alkylated with 1-bromo-propan obtaining 1-tert-butoxy-dodec-8-yne. After acetylation of 1-tert-butoxy-dodec-8-yne and stereoselective reduction in the presence of NiP-2 catalyst gave (Z)-8-dodecene-1-yl acetate with 85 % isomeric purity. After reduction with lithium aluminium hydride of 1-tert-butoxy-dodec-8-yne and acetylation was obtained (E)-8-dodecene-1-yl acetate with 90% isomeric purity.