Stereoselective synthesis of substituted dienes by the double ortho ester Claisen rearrangement

This letter shows the highly stereoselective synthesis of substituted (E)-1,3-dienes from substituted propargylic diols via the double ortho ester Claisen rearrangement. The cyclohexyl-substituted diene undergoes thermal Diels–Alder cycloaddition with maleic anhydride to produce the corresponding bicyclic diester in highly stereoselective manner.