An economical synthetic process of methyl jasmonate has been established.
Total yield of this process is higher than 60 % for all five steps from cheaply available adipic acid. 2-Pentyny1-2-cyclopentenone, the key intermediate in this route, is synthesized by applying the improved palladiumcatalyzed enone formation from allyl β-keto carboxylate as a key reaction. The pentynyl moiety is introduced by the use of pentynyl chloride which is prepared in two steps from 2-butyne, our original source, cheaply.