Cuprous salts in acetonitrile catalyzed the cyclization of allyl trichloroacetates to trichlorinated y-lactones by way of an intramolecular atom-transfer radical cyclization. Various trichlorinated y-lactones having a variety of alkyl substituents were prepared by this method. y-Lactones were generally obtained as a single product except the cyclization of methallyl trichloroacetate, which afforded a mixture of y-and &lactones. The addition of a ...
