A Facile Synthesis Of (5-Hydroxy-4-Oxo-4h-Pyran-2-Yl)Methyl Carboxylates And Their Antiviral Activity Against Hepatitis C Virus

5-Benzyloxy-2-hydroxymethyl-4H-pyran-4-one (2) was synthesized from kojic acid (1) and subsequently reacted with carboxylic anhydride (3a) and a series of carboxylic acid chlorides (3b-l) to give the corresponding (5-benzyloxy-4-oxo-4H-pyran-2-yl)methyl carboxylates (4a-l). These compounds were, then reductively debenzylated to afford the (5-hydroxy-4-oxo-4H-pyran-2-yl)methyl carboxylates (5a-l), which were tested for their inhibitory activities against the hepatitis C virus.