TETRAHEDRON, cilt.57, sa.37, ss.7965-7978, 2001 (SCI-Expanded)
A 3-step 100% atom economic sequence is reported whereby a variety of phenols react with 2 mol equiv. of allene to give phenoxymethyl-1,3-dienyl ethers. Subsequent thermal Claisen rearrangement to C-1,3-dienes and acid catalysed ring closure furnishes 3:1-6.5:1 mixtures of exo-methylene chromans and dihydrobenzofurans with the former predominating. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.