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 as the starting alkynes in the palladium-catalyzed reaction with 6 leads to the formation of 2,3-disubstituted-benzo[b]furans 13 through an annulation process promoted by σ-vinyl- and σ-arylpalladium complexes generated in situ. The best results in this case are obtained by using KOAc and Pd(PPh3)4. In the presence of KOAc and Pd(PPh3)4, and under an atmosphere of carbon monoxide, the reaction of o-alkynylphenols with 6 provides 2-vinyl- and 2-aryl-3-acylbenzo[b]furans 14.