Abstract
A library of novel trans-ethyl 5-aroyl-4-aryl-2-[(arylsulfonyl) methyl]-4,5-dihydrofuran-3-carboxylates were synthesized regio- and stereoselectively in good yields by a three-component domino reaction of ethyl-3-oxo-4-(arylsulfonyl) butanoates, aromatic aldehydes and N-phenacylpyridinium bromide in presence of triethylamine in acetonitrile under heating. This transformation generates C-O, C-C and C=C bonds and presumably proceeds via an alpha,beta-unsaturated ketosulfonyl ester generation/Michael addition/intramolecular cyclisation domino sequence.