Abstract magnified imageHexaminium salts of 4‐pyrones 3a, 3b were synthesized by treatment of 2‐(4‐bromomethylphenyl)‐6‐methyl‐4H‐pyran‐4‐one 2a and 2‐(4‐bromomethylphenyl)‐6‐phenyl‐4H‐pyran‐4‐one 2b with hexamethyl‐enetetramine in chloroform in 71 and 84% yields respectively. Hydrolysis of 3a and 3b in EtOH:H2O produced the corresponding aldehydes 4a and 4b in 43 and 58% yields respectively. The reaction of bromopyrones 2b and 2c with dimethylsulfide in MeOH: CH2Cl2 afforded the corresponding sulfonium salts 5b and 5c in 66 and 65% yields respectively. Treatment of 5b and 5c with arene carbaldehydes such as (Ar = p‐ClC6H4, o‐ClC6H4, p‐NO2C6H4, o‐NO2C6H4, p‐FC6H4, 2‐naphthyl, p‐MeOC6H4, C6H5CHCH, p‐MeC6H4, C6H5 and 4‐(4‐oxo‐6‐phenyl‐4H‐pyran‐2‐yl)‐benzaldehyde 4b) in the presence of sodium hydroxide in CH3CN:H2O afforded eleven trans‐epoxides in 61–93% yields. J. Heterocyclic Chem., 46, 268 (2009).