A divergent synthesis of functionalized unsaturated
-lactones
2,
3,
4, and
5 has been developed startingfrom the readily available
-alkenoyl-
-carboxyl ketene dithioacetals
1 in high to excellent yields undermild reaction conditions. Thus, 6-substituted 3-(1,3-dithiolan/dithian-2-ylidene)-3
H-pyran-2(6
H)-ones
2,obtained from a consecutive reduction with NaBH
4 and acidic workup of
1 via a novel vinylogousPummerer cyclization, can be further transformed into
-pyranones
3,
4, and
5 upon a sequentialisomerization catalyzed by triethylamine (to give
3), followed by dethioacetalization (to give
4) or aformylation with Vilsmeier reagent (to give
5).