2-Methyl-4-alkenyl-2,3-dihydrofurans by cleavage of the metal–carbon double bond in α,β-unsaturated 2-oxacyclopentylidene pentacarbonyl chromium complexes

The reaction between the complex (CO)5CrC[graphic omitted] 1 and aliphatic aldehydes bearing α-H atoms, in the presence of dimethylamine hydrochloride and potassium carbonate, leads directly to 1,3-dienes 3a-f; in one case the formation of the intermediate 5 can be demonstrated.