New cascade synthesis (domino synthesis) of butenolides starting from alpha hydroxyketones are described by using environmental friendly procedures. The butenolides esters and nitriles are obtained by cascade reactions of Dreux without solvent and under microwaves irradiation. The reaction was generalized with the synthesis of butenolides carrying a sulfenyle group, sulfoxide, sulfone and phosphoryl. By using BMIM, BF4 as ionic liquid, it is possible to make the synthesis with a good yield, while recycling the ionic liquid and the base. This reaction of Dreux was used for the domino synthesis of the alkaloid Cerpegine in a one-pot domino reaction. This domino synthesis allows the convergent and fast synthesis of a great number of analogues of Cerpegine. Finally a new synthesis without solvent and under microwaves irradiation of isobenzofuranones was discovered. This synthesis brings into play five successive cascade reactions starting from alpha hydroxyketone.
