A convenient synthesis of a 2-alkyl-1.3-butadiene was developed from a commercially available alkenylsuccinic anhydride as the starting material. Thus 2-n-octyl-1, 3-butadiene was prepared in four steps including a pyrolysis of a diacetate in an over-all yield of 53%. This 2-octylbutadiene was then converted in five steps to 4-n-octyl-1, 2- dimethylenecyclohexane in an over-all yield of 40%. The final step in the synthesis ...
