Novel cyclization to benzofurans in the reaction of alkynyl(p-phenylene) bisiodonium ditriflates with phenoxide anion

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)60614-7

Reaction of alkynyl(p-phenylene)bisiodonium ditriflates (2) with sodium phenoxide in methanol provides 2-substituted benzofurans (3). This result indicates that β-phenoxyalkylidenecarbenes generated by the reaction with phenoxide anion undergo novel intramolecular aromatic C-H insertion to afford benzofurans.