Cyclodimerisation reactions of conjugated dienes with aldehydes—I: Formation of tetrahydropyrans and their 300 MHz 1H NMR spectra

The palladium catalysed reaction of butadiene with aldehydes yields 2-substituted 3,6-divinyl-tetrahydropyrans.^1–4 The reaction has been extended to isoprene and myrcene. With formaldehyde only 2,5-substituted pyrans have been isolated. The isomeric tetrahydropyrans obtained were fully characterised by ¹H NMR, and representative 300 MHz spectra are given. Attempts to react aldehydes with 2-methoxybutadiene were unsuccessful.