Synthesis of Lactones

Abstract

Lactones are often obtained by carbonylation reactions closely related to the acyclic ester syntheses described in the previous chapter. Although only limited data are available for carbonylative routes to four- and six-membered lactone rings, the preparation of five-membered (γ) lactones has been one of the most intensively studied areas of carbonylation chemistry in recent years. Palladium catalysis in particular has provided a number of extremely clean and facile syntheses, including routes to a wide range of α-methylene-γ-lactones.