The reaction of various oxygen-containing benzo-fused cycloalkenes were studied with
the hypervalent iodine reagent hydroxy(tosyloxy)iodo]benzene [PhI(OH)OTs, HTIB].
2H-Chromene and 4-methyl-2H-chromene resulted in substituted 4H-chromene and cis-3,4-dialkoxy-4-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromenes, respectively. Ring contraction to chromanes and benzofurans was observed
for dihydrobenzoxepines and 2,2-dimethyl-2H-chromenes, respectively.
Key words
chromenes - chromanes - Koser’s reagent - ring contraction - hypervalent iodine