The mechanism of theDieckmann-reaction of methyl 3-(methoxycarbonylmethylthio)-propionate (1) to methyl 4-oxotetrahydrothiophene-3-carboxylate (2) and methyl 3-oxo-tetrahydrothiophene-2-carboxylate (3) and a simple technique for the preparation of methyl 4-oxo-tetrahydrothiophene-3-carboxylate (2) free from the isomere3are described.
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