A New Synthetic Route to α-Hydroxy Butyrolactones

Abstract

α-Oxocarboxylic acids react with olefins under acid conditions to give α-hydroxy butyrolactones (3-hydroxy-2-oxotetrahydrofurans) which can be readily dehydrated to give α,β-unsaturated butyrolactones 2-oxo-2,5-dihydrofurans.