The Baylis–Hillman reaction between 2-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy) ethanal and 3-buten-2- one followed by desilylation gave rise to the corresponding α-methylene-β, γ-dihydroxy ketone further converted by reductive ozonolysis of the carbon–carbon double bond into racemic 4, 5-dihydroxy-2, 3-pentanedione (), a significant molecule in bacterial cell–cell communication systems. The same sequence applied to other substrates allowed the ...