Palladium-Catalyzed Reaction of o-Ethynylphenols, o-((Trimethylsilyl)ethynyl)phenyl Acetates, and o-Alkynylphenols with Unsaturated Triflates or Halides: A Route to 2-Substituted-, 2,3-Disubstituted-, and 2-Substituted-3-acylbenzo[b]furans

The reaction of o-ethynylphenols 3 with a wide variety of unsaturated halides or triflates 6 in the presence of Pd(OAc)2(PPh3)2, CuI, and Et3N (procedure A) gives 2-vinyl- and 2-arylbenzo[b]furans 7, in good to high yield, through a palladium-catalyzed coupling followed by an in situ cyclization step. Small amounts of 2,3-disubstituted-benzo[b]furans 8 are usually isolated as side products. In some cases, however, compounds 8 are generated in significant yield or even as the main products. The formation of 8 can be prevented by employing alternative procedures (B and C) that use o-((trimethylsilyl)ethynyl)phenyl acetates 5 as starting building blocks. Procedure B is based on the palladium-catalyzed reaction of 5 with 6 in the presence of Pd(PPh3)4, Et3N, and n-Bu4NF, followed by the hydrolysis of the resultant coupling derivative 12 under basic conditions. Procedure C affords 7 through an in situ coupling/cyclization of 5 with 6 in the presence of Pd(PPh3)4 and KOBut. The utilization of o-alkynylphenols 9...