Radical cyclization of allyl α-bromocarboxylates into γ-butyrolactones. Effect of the ester structure on the cyclization
Allyl dibromoacetate, allyl α-bromopropionate, and allyl phenylbromoacetate undergo cyclization in benzene in the presence of increased concentration of Fe(CO)5 - DMF as the initiating system to give the corresponding bromo-substituted butyrolactones.