Synthesis of 3-hydroxy-3-cyclohexylbutyric acid derivatives. 1. Cyclic homologs of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acid

Abstract

Z and E isomers of 3-methyl-3-(carboxymethyl)hexahydro-1 (3H)-isobenzofuranones (I), lactones of 3-hydroxy-3-(2-carboxycyclohexyl) butyric acids (II), were prepared and tested on cholesterol biosynthesis in vitro. Compound I of the Z series was prepared through its ethyl ester by hydrogenation, over Rh/Al2O3 catalyst, of the phenyl ring of 3-methyl-3-[(ethoxycarbonyl)methyl]-1(3H)-isobenzofuranone. Compound I of the E series was prepared, through its ethyl ester, by Reformatsky reaction from ethyl (E)-2-acetylcyclohexanecarboxylate. 3-Methyl-3-(carboxymethyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1(3H)-isobenzofuranone, 3-methyl-3-ethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1(3H)-isobenzofuranone, and 3-methyl-3-(carboxymethyl)-1(3H)-isobenzofuranone were also prepared and tested. The above compounds inhibited acetate incorporation in cholesterol and fatty acids in rat liver slices at 5 X 10(-3) M but lack specific inhibitory activity on HMG-CoA reductase.