Date of Award
1966
Document Type
Senior Scholars Paper (Open Access)
Department
Colby College. Chemistry Dept.
Advisor(s)
Reid, Evan B
Abstract
The following paper contains a history of tetronic acids and includes a discussion on the methods of their synthesis, theoretical considerations concerning their unusual acidity, their oxidation, and the problem of their oxidative intermediate. The possible synthetic routes leading to the oxidative intermediate, a-alkyl- a-hydroxy tetronic acid is proposed. Chemical and spectroscopic evidence is presented for the existence of a-alkyl- a -hydroxy tetronic acid obtained by one of the proposed synthetic methods. Actual proof for the existence of this compound awaits a quantitative chemical analysis. A further experiment is suggested which would answer the question of whether or not during the oxidation of tetronic acids the ring opens and splits out carbon dioxide before or after the formation of the diketones.
Keywords
Lactones, Oxidation
Recommended Citation
Densen, Peter, "Oxidation of tetronic acids" (1966). Senior Scholar Papers. Paper 66.https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/seniorscholars/66
Copyright
Colby College theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed or downloaded from this site for the purposes of research and scholarship. Reproduction or distribution for commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the author.