4-Hydroxycoumarin ( = 4-hydroxy-2H-l-benzopyran-2-one) reacts with enals to give 1,2-or 1 ,Caddition products, depending on the nature and relative location of the substituents on the olefinic double bond (Scheme 2). The resulting adducts further react intra-or intermolecularly, affording dimeric coumarins or pyranocoumarins in the case of 1,2-addition and acetalic pyranocoumarins in the case of 1,Caddition. With enals bearing alkyl groups at CV), 2H-pyrano[3,2-c]coumarins are the only products formed, and the reaction represents an easy and straightforward entry into this class of recently described biologically active natural products.