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Organic Chemistry Text Book (CHEM 3401 and 3402)

21.5.4b Robinson Annulation

A very useful ring-forming reaction in laboratory synthesis is called 'Robinson annulation' (Sir Robert Robinson was an English chemist who won the 1947 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and the term ‘annulation’ comes from the Latin annulus, meaning ‘ring’.) The reaction, which takes place in basic conditions, consists of a conjugate (Michael) addition step, followed by aldol addition and finally dehydration (-elimination of water). A typical example is shown below, with carbons numbered to help you to follow the course of the reaction.