Acyl Nitronates in Organic Synthesis. An Expeditious Synthesis of 2,5-Dialkylpyrrolidines and 2,5-Dialkylpyrrolines Including Ant Venom Alkaloids

Acetyl nitronates (acetic nitronic anhydrides), readily obtainable from ketones and nitroalkenes, have been demonstrated to serve as potentially useful intermediates for the synthesis of 2,5-dialkylpyrrolidines and 2,5-dialkylpyrrolines, and a short-step synthesis of some ant venom alkaloids has been accomplished via these acetyl nitronates.