Abstract: | The reaction of 4-hydroxycoumarin and certain aliphatic aldehydes affords 1:1 or complex 2:2 adducts besides (or in place) of the expected 2:1 bis(coumarin) adducts. Reaction with heptanal, cyclohexanecarbaldehyde, and pivalaldehyde are reported as representative. The structure of the reaction products was established by spectroscopical techniques, including X-ray analysis, and their formation was mechanistically rationalized. Some of the 1:1 adducts are synthetically useful for the preparation of 3-alkyl-4-hydroxycoumarins. |