One-pot inter- and intramolecular Friedel–Crafts reactions in Baylis–Hillman chemistry: a novel facile synthesis of (E)-2-arylideneindan-1-ones

A simple one-pot stereoselective transformation of tert-butyl 3-aryl-3-hydroxy-2-methylenepropanoates, the Baylis–Hillman adducts obtained from t-butyl acrylate, into (E)-2-arylideneindan-1-ones involving one inter- and one intramolecular Friedel–Crafts reaction is described.