Abstract:
The Darzens reaction of dihaloacetic acid esters with aromatic aldehydes produces either arylhaloglycidic or arylhalopyruvic esters depending on the nature of the substituent in the aromatic ring. Alkyl p- methoxyphenylchloropyruvates undergo spontaneous intermolecular cyclocondensation to form pyranone or furanone derivatives depending on the character of the alkyl fragment. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.