A method has been developed for the efficient generation of2-(N-acylamino)-1-thia-1, 3- dienes. These novel hetero-dienes, which are generated via acylation of the corresponding thioamides, undergo irreversible regio-and stereospecific Diels-Alder addition to the starting thioamides to yield 6-(N-acylamino)-3, 4-dihydro-2H-thiopyrans. The regiochemistry, relative configurations and the major solution conformations of the thiopyrans 4a-c and 10 have ...