Reactions between substituted maleic anhydrides, viz. 1, and sodium dimethyl phosphite in refluxing benzene are shown to lead to the corresponding furan-2(5H) -one phosphonates 2 and 8. Wadsworth-Emmons olefination reactions involving 2 and heteroarylaldehydes and arylbenzoyl formates 14 then provides a n e w synthesis of heterocyclic analogues of pulvinones, i.e. 10-1 3, and of permethylated pulvinic acids, e.g. 16-17 which are found in higher fungi.

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