Selective Carboxylate Directed ortho Functionalization in Copper Catalyzed Reactions of Polyiodo Aromatics: A Straightforward Preparation of 5,7‐Diiodo‐1 H ‐isochromen‐1‐ones

A facile, and totally regioselective one‐pot approach to synthesize 5,7‐diiodo‐3‐substituted‐isocoumarins is described. This reaction was realized by using copper iodide as the catalyst under mild reaction conditions. The methodology was used to design a wide variety of compounds and was tolerant to a large number of functional groups. Interestingly, among the three possible carbon–iodine bonds, only one was reactive, which left the two others intact for further functionalization.