Abstract
3-Methyl-4-octanolide (1), (Whisky lactone or Quercus lactone), was synthesized from crotonic acid and pentanal. The reaction of pentanal (3) with crotonic acid (4) provided 3-methyl-4-oxooctanoic acid (5) in a 66% yield, which was reduced by NaBH4 to give whisky lactone (1) in a 88% yield. Similarly, trans-3-methyl-4-nonanolide (2), one of the component of cognac, was prepared from crotonic acid and hexanal.
