Mucochloric Acid: A Useful Synthon for the Selective Synthesis of 4-Aryl-3-chloro-2(5H)-furanones, (Z)-4-Aryl-5-[1-(aryl)methylidene]-3-chloro-2(5H)-furanones and 3,4-Diaryl-2(5H)-furanones
4-Dichloro-2(5H)-furanone, which has been prepared efficiently from mucochloricacid, has been transformed selectively into 4-aryl-3-chloro-2(5H)-furanones either by Suzuki- or Stille-type reactions. These monochloro derivatives have been used as precursors either to (Z)-4-aryl-5-[1-(aryl)methylidene]-3-chloro-2(5H)-furanones, including naturally occurring rubrolide M, or to unsymmetrical 3,4-diaryl-2(5H)-furanones