Facile synthesis of lactones and dihydronaphthalenes from methyl 2-isobutenyl (or 2-isopentenyl)cinnamates as the common intermediates

We prepared three different types of compounds, two α-alkylidene-γ-butyrolactones and 3,4-dihydronaphthalene-2-carboxylic acid from methyl 2-isobutenylcinnamates or methyl 2-isopentenylcinnamates as the common intermediates, which were derived from the acetates of Baylis–Hillman adducts.