ReBr(CO)5-catalyzed sequential addition-cyclization of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with electron-deficient internal alkynes affording trisubstituted 2H-pyran-2-ones

The reaction of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds such as acetoacetate, acetylacetone, dibenzoylmethane, and benzoylacetate with electron-deficient internal alkynes in the presence of catalytic amount of ReBr(CO)₅ in toluene under neutral conditions resulted in the formation of 4,5,6-trisubstituted 2H-pyran-2-ones in moderate to high yield. The reaction took place via a two-step sequence including the rhenium(I)-catalyzed addition of the activated methylenes to alkynes to give enolic 2-alkenyl derivatives, and subsequently dealcoholic cyclization to form 2H-pyran-2-one derivatives.