One-pot synthesis of fluorine containing 3-cyano/ethoxycarbonyl-2-methyl- benzo[b]furans
Fluoro-substituted 3-cyano-2-methyl-benzo[b]furans and ethyl 2-methyl-benzo[b]furan-3-carboxylates are conveniently prepared in a single step in good yield by the microwave induced tandem intramolecular Wittig and Claisen rearrangement reactions of the corresponding [(aryloxyacetyl) (cyano) methylene] triphenylphosphorane and [(aryloxyacetyl) (ethoxycarbonyl) methylene] triphenylphosphoranes, respectively. Graphical Abstract