The triethylamine-promoted cascade
Henry reaction/elimination
of
HNO2/cyclization reaction of 2-oxoaldehydes with nitroalkanes
bearing various remote functionalities is described. Both chiral and
achiral nitroalkanes were applicable to this protocol, leading to
a variety of oxacycles, such as chromenes, chromanes, cyclic hemiacetals,
and polycyclic acetals. An unexpected regioselective photooxygenation
occurred without sensitizer during derivatization to convert a derived
diene product into a dioxetane by reaction with singlet oxygen, which
provided chromen-2-one and benzaldehyde after fragmentation.