Synthesis of 2-substituted 7-hydroxybenzofuran-4-carboxylates via addition of silyl enol ethers to o-benzoquinone esters.

Mukaiyama Michael addition of silyl enol ethers 13 to the 1,2-quinone-4-carboxylate 6 (formed in situ by oxidation of the catechol ester 8) afforded the 2-subsituted 7-hydroxybenzofuran-4-carboxylates 14 in fair to good yields. Alkyl and aryl systems work well, but highly electron-rich silyl enol ethers could not be used because of competing oxidation.