In connection with our interest in terpenes, we have been seeking convenient methods for the incorporation of geminal methyl-methoxycarbonyl substituents at C-1 and C-2 of the naphthalene nucleus. Although reductive methylation of naphthoic acids is known,l the process suffers from two major disadvantages: (i) naphthoic acids in most cases are only sparingly soluble in the organic solvents commonly used in Birch reduction, and (ii) the incorporation of a methyl ...
