Reaction of 5-arylfuran-2(3H)-ones with amines

5-(4-Chlorophenyl)- and 5-phenylfuran-2(3H)-ones reacted with guanidine carbonate at the methylene group in the unsaturated lactone molecule, leading to the formation of 4-(2-aryl-5-oxo-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-yl)-5-aryltetrahydrofuran-2-ones, while 5-(4-methylphenyl)furan-2(3H)-one under analogous conditions gave rise to N,N'-bis[4-(4-methylphenyl)-4-oxobutanoyl]guanidine. The reactions of 5-arylfuran-2(3H)- ones with thioacetamide afforded 4-aryl-N-{1-[5-aryl-2-oxo-2,3-dihydrofuran-3-ylidene]ethyl}-4-oxobutanamides. The corresponding N-(4-aryl-4-oxobutanoyl)thioureas were obtained by heating 5-arylfuran-2(3H)-ones with thiourea.