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

Abstract

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.