SYNTHESIS OF 4,5,6,7-TETRAHYDRO-1(3H)-ISOBENZOFURANONES BY REACTION OF N,N-DIMETHYL-2-LITHIO-1-CYCLOHEXENECARBOXAMIDE WITH ALDEHYDES AND KETONES

The frequent occurrence of α, β-unsaturated γ-lactones in many types of natural products has stimulated considerable interest in the synthesis of Δαβ-butenolides.1 Although a great variety of synthetic routes to these compounds may be found in the literature, there appear to be few reports of syntheses of bicyclic Δαβ-butenolides with a carbocycle fused across the α and β positions, such as 4, 5, 6, 7-tetrahydro-l(3H)-isobenzofuranones (5). © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.