<i>E</i>- or <i>Z</i>-Selective Knoevenagel Condensation of Acetoacetic Derivatives: Effect of Acylated Substituent, that is, TEMPO and Amines, as an Auxiliary, and New Accesses to Trisubstituted <i>E</i>- and <i>Z</i>-2-Alkenals and Furans

Knoevenagel condensation of O-acetoacetylTEMPOs (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl) with aldehydes substituted with an electron-withdrawing group such as aromatic and heteroaromatic ones leads preferentially to E-adducts, while acylacetoamides including Weinreb amides produce Z-adducts, exclusively. These E- and Z-adducts are selectively converted to the corresponding (2E)- and (2Z)-2-hyroxyalkyl-2-alkenals, respectively, by stepwise reductions of the acyl group with DIBALH and then the carboxylic functions after protection of the hydroxy group. Transformation of the Knoevenagel products by taking advantage of the E-geometry to trisubstituted furans is also developed.