One-Pot Synthesis of 3,5-Disubstituted and Polysubstituted Phenols from Acyclic Precursors

A new strategy for the synthesis of 3,5-disubstituted phenols is established through one-pot Robinson annulation of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones with alpha-fluoro-beta-ketoesters followed by in situ dehydrofluorination and tautomerization. This method has been extended to the synthesis of polysubstituted phenols and applied in the preparation of biologically active compounds.