Abstract
A simple and straightforward approach for the synthesis of an α‐methylene‐δ‐butyrolactone from a Baylis–Hillman adduct obtained from a chiral α‐hydroxy aldehyde, is described.
Acknowledgments
We thank FAPESP for a fellowship to R.S.P. (03/05410‐0) and for financial support (02/00461‐3). We also thank the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq‐301369/1987‐9) for a research fellowship to F.C. The authors are grateful to Prof. Carol H. Collins for English revision of this manuscript.