The bromomethyl function could also be obtained from the appropriate primary alcohol group by reaction with hydrogen bromide. 2, 6-bis (HydroxymethyI)-4H-pyran-4-one (4b) has been synthesized by sodium borohydnde reduction of dimethyl chelidonate (3): albeit in poor yield and after a difficult separation process (Scheme 2). Although some of the 4H- pyran-4-ones containing a hydroxymethyl group can be prepared by fermentation', eg of ...
