Notiz zur Darstellung von 4-Hydroxy-6-methyl-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-on

Meldrum's acid (2) is acylated by diketen affording the acylMeldrum's acid3. In aqueous bicarbonate its 3-oxogroup is selectively reduced by sodium tetrahydroborate giving the alcohol4, which readily undergoes cyclization in refluxing dioxane leading to the title pyrone7. Under identical conditions3 produces the pyrone6 with the pyrone carboxylic acid5 as intermediate.