Authors: Hengbin Wang, Justin R. Denton, and Huw M. L. Davies
Org. Lett.,
2011, 13 (16), 4316–4319
A triple cascade process was developed for the rapid synthesis of polycyclic benzo-fused dihydrofurans. The first step is a rhodium-catalyzed cyclopropanation of α-aryldiazoketones with alkenes. This is followed by a silver-catalyzed ring expansion to dihydrofurans, which then undergo a gold-catalyzed cyclization to form benzo-fused dihydrofurans.