The reaction of epoxyisophorone with ethyl acetoacetate under basic conditions

Treatment of epoxyisophorone (1) with ethyl acetoacetate under basic conditions resulted in the stereoselective formation of dihydroxybenzofuran 2 in moderate yield. This result is in contradiction to previous work where similar conditions were reported to afford a bicyclo [4.3.0]nonadienone via a putative Robinson annulation reaction.