Facile conversion of pyridine propargylic alcohols to enones: stereochemistry of protonation of allenol

The conversion of 4-pyridyl propargylic alcohols 1 to the (E)-propenones 3 and propynones 2 occurs under mild reaction conditions, pyridinium chloride in methanol at room temperature. (Z)-4-Pyridyl propenones 11 are detected as initial products when large substituents such as trimethylsilyl, tert-butyl and phenyl are attached at C-3 of the propynols and these (Z)-enones 11 are isomerised to the (E)-isomers 3 under the reaction conditions. In the presence of deuterated solvent, both hydrogens at the double bond of enone 3d are deuterated. An allenol is proposed as intermediate whose preferential protonation occurs at the less hindered side giving the (Z)-enone. The propargylic alcohols, pyridin-2-yl 12 and quinolin-4-yl 5, are converted to (E)-enones 13 and 7, respectively.