An expedient ten-step synthesis of a substituted tropolone is described. The synthesis involves a 3-oxidopyrylium [5+ 2] cycloaddition reaction with acrylonitrile as the key step, affording a highly functionalized [3.2. 1]-bicycle 10 as a single regioisomer. The nitrile substituent of the reduced cycloadduct 12 permits efficient ether-bridge cleavage and tropolone 15 is obtained after a final bis-oxidation procedure. The pyranulose acetate ...