(Z)-Tetracos-5-enoic acid and racemic cis-4-(2-octadecylcyclopropane-1-yl)-butanoic acid have been prepared from 1-eicosene by a new facile route. Periodic acid cleavage of the epoxide of 1-eicosene gave nonadecanal which was condensed with 4- carboxybutyltriphenylphosphonium bromide to give predominately (Z)-tetracos-5-enoic acid. Simmons–Smith type cyclopropanation of (Z)-tetracos-5-enoic acid gave a minor ...
