Palladium-catalyzed multistep reactions involving ring closure of 2-iodophenoxyallenes and ring opening of bicyclic alkenes.

[reaction: see text] An efficient ring closure of 2-iodophenoxy-, 2-iodobenzyloxy-, and 2-iodobenzylaminoallenes followed by ring opening of oxabenzonorbornadienes leading to the synthesis of 2-benzofuranyl, 1H-isochromenyl, or 1,2-dihydroisoquinoline methyl-1,2-dihydro-1-naphthalenol derivatives catalyzed by palladium complexes is described.