5-aryl-3-methyl-2-cyclohexen-1-ones from 4-aryl-1, 4-dihydropyridines (hantzsch esters)
Reductive cyclization of 2,6-dimethyl-3,5-dicarboxyethyl-4-aryl-1,4- dihydropyridines using sodium and methanol as solvent produces the 5-aryl-3- methyl-2-cyclohexen-1-ones.