Diels-Alder cycloadditions of 3,5-dibromo-2-pyrone: a new ambident diene

D-A cycloadditions of 3,5-dibromo-2-pyrone were investigated with a series of electronically and sterically distinct dienophiles. Our results showed that it is a highly potent ambident diene, being more reactive and stereoselective than monobromo-2-pyrones, and thus capable of generating a variety of bicycloadducts in much higher chemical yields and endo/exo ratios than monobromo-2-pyrones. Another interesting feature of this study is that the two bromine groups on the cycloadducts could be independently manipulated to produce other synthetically useful bicyclolactones.