Expedient synthesis of highly substituted α-pyrones from Baylis-Hillman adducts and their conversion to poly-substituted aromatics

An efficient synthetic protocol of fully substituted alpha-pyrones has been developed starting from the Baylis-Hillman adducts. Subsequent Diels-Alder reaction of the alpha-pyrones and DMAD produced poly-substituted aromatic compounds in high yields. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.