O-eugenol: A versatile molecule for production of polyfunctional alkenes via organometallic catalysis

In this study, the synthesis and cross metathesis of o-eugenol (2-allyl-6-methoxy phenol) has been investigated. Synthesis was conducted through two stages of reaction. The first step in the synthetic procedure was to obtain the intermediate 1-but-3-enyl-2-methoxy benzene. Then the heating of the obtained intermediate will initiate will initiate a [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement to give the o-eugenol with a good yield. The ruthenium-catalyzed cross-metathesis of o-eugenol derivatives with electron deficient olefins including methyl acrylate, acrylonitrile and acrylamides was also reported. In addition the polymerization of 1-allyl-2-(allyloxy)-3-methoxybenzene was possible by acyclic diene metathesis and this allowed to synthesize a polymer from a natural substrate. All the resulting structures were supported by the spectroscopic data.