Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.130, No.41, 13528-13528, 2008
Cu(I)-catalyzed regioselective synthesis of polysubstituted furans from propargylic esters via postulated (2-furyl)carbene complexes
Polysubstituted furan derivatives are regioselective obtained from (bis-alkynyl)methyl carboxylates in the presence of catalytic amounts of copper(I) salts. This multistep process is consistent with the intermediacy of a copper(I) (2-furyl)carbene complex which is intercepted by suitable trapping reagents.