Regioselective construction of polysubstituted benzene ring from Baylis–Hillman adduct via [4+2] annulation strategy

A new and regioselective [4+2] benzannulation protocol toward polysubstituted benzenes was developed. Nitroalkane derivative, which was prepared from Baylis–Hillman adduct, served as the four-carbon unit and Michael acceptor as a two-carbon unit.