KOtBu Assisted Regio‐ and Stereo‐Selective Alkoxy‐Isomerization of Ortho‐Alkynyl Allylic Alcohols: Synthesis of Alkylidene Dihydroisobenzofurans and Indenones

Abstract A transition metal‐free synthesis of alkylidene dihydroisobenzofurans from the ortho ‐alkynyl allylic alcohols is reported herein. Notably, a simple base t BuOK is utilized for the 5‐exo‐dig cyclization and double bond isomerization of ortho ‐alkynyl allylic alcohols to furnish alkylidene dihydrobenzofurans with Z ‐stereoselectivity under shorter reaction times. In addition, the geometry of the double bonds was confirmed by 1D Selective Gradient NOESY and 2D NMR (NOESY) analysis. Furthermore, the effectuality of the ortho ‐alkynyl allylic alcohols has been shown by extending to the one‐pot synthesis of indanones via aqueous acid‐mediated hydrolysis (ring‐opening) of in ‐ situ formed dihydroisobenzofurans followed by intramolecular condensation reaction under acidic conditions