During our investigation into the dienediyne anticancer antibiotics 1 we required a practical synthetic approach to functionalised cyclopentenone derivatives. We were particularly attracted to a seminal report which showed the isomerisation reaction of a pyranone to a dihydroxylated cyclopentenone derivative. 2 We were able to devise a modified procedure, which could be carried out on preparative scale (ca. 30 g) without the requirement of metal catalysts using only an amine base. 3 In ...
