Synthesis of substituted [3]dendralenes and their unique cycloaddition reactions

Dimethylsulfonium methylide mediated olefination of 2-phenylethenylidene phosphonoacetate followed by the Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction with aromatic aldehydes provided access to reactive 1,5-diaryl-2-ethoxycarbonyl [3]dendralenes which in situ underwent Diels-Alder cyclodimerisation leading to highly functionalised cyclohexenes with very high regio- and stereoselectivity.