One-pot regioselective synthesis of functionalized and fused furans from Morita–Baylis–Hillman and Rauhut–Currier adducts of nitroalkenes

Highly functionalized and fused furans have been synthesized via cascade reactions of Morita–Baylis–Hillman and Rauhut–Currier adducts of nitroalkenes with active methylene compounds. The reactions involving SN2′-intramolecular Michael addition or Michael addition-intra-molecular nucleophilic substitution take place in a regioselective manner to afford synthetically and biologically useful furans in moderate to good yields.