3-Alkoxy-2,5-dihydrofurans by Gold-Catalyzed Allenyl Cyclizations and Their Transformation into 1,4-Dicarbonyl Compounds, Cyclopentenones, and Butenolides
The addition of lithiated alkoxyallenes to carbonyl compounds furnishes allenyl alcohols, which undergo a highly efficient and chemoselective 5-endo-trig cyclization to 3-alkoxy-2,5-dihydrofurans catalyzed by gold(I) chloride. The dihydrofurans produced can be either oxidized to β-alkoxy butenolides by a manganese(III) acetatecatalyzedradicaloxidation with tert-butyl hydroperoxide, or transformed