Synthesis of 12‐Methyl‐13‐tridecanolide

Abstract
The title compound was prepared from 2‐nitrocyclodecanone (2). Compound 2 was treated with 2‐methylpro‐penal to give the Michael‐addition product 3 which was reduced to the alcohol 5 and the latter ring‐enlarged with Bu4NF to 12‐methyl‐10‐nitro‐13‐tridecanolide (6) followed by reductive elimination of the NO2 group by Bu3SnH.