A NEW VERY MILD K2CO3-CATALYZED ONE-POT 2-CARBON RING EXPANSION OF CYCLOPENTANONES

Cyclic alpha-carbonyl-substituted cyclopentanones undergo, in a one-po t process, an unprecedented K2CO3-Catalysed cascade Michael addition-r egioselective aldol cyclisation-reverse Dieckmann reaction with alpha, beta-unsaturated aldehydes in methanol or ethanol at room temperature to afford stereoselectively substituted cycloheptane derivatives.