Pyridinium betaines acid esters

In another example of heterocyclic ring synthesis, pyridinium salts 816 require only Et3N for deprotonation, the resulting ylides 817 add to esters of 2-bromo-2-alkenecarboxylic acids or analogous benzonitriles to give intermediate betaines 818 which, via intramolecular nucleophilic attack, give indolizines 819 (Scheme 174) <1999JOC7618>. 

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