Convenient ‘one-pot’ synthesis of 3,4-substituted tetrahydrothiophenes through tandem Michael–Henry and Michael–Michael reactions

In situ generated nitro alkenes underwent tandem Michael–Henry and Michael–Michael sequences leading to the ‘one-pot’ formation of 3,4-substituted tetrahydrothiophenes using the commercially available 1,4-dithiane-2,5-diol (the dimer of mercaptoacetaldehyde) or its 4-mercapto-2-butenoates derivatives as suitable bifunctional partners, respectively.