Base-promoted formal [3+2] dearomative spiroannulation enables construction of spirolactones from hydroquinones and α-aryl α-diazo alkynyl ketones.

Herein, a base-promoted intermolecular cascade reaction of α-aryl α-diazo alkynyl ketones with hydroquinones is developed via a sequential Wolff rearrangement/dearomative spiroannulation. This protocol enables facile access to diverse enone-functionalized spirolactones in good to excellent yields.