Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of benzofurans via C-H activation/oxidation tandem reaction and its application to the synthesis of decursivine and serotobenine.

A new palladium-catalyzed method for the synthesis of benzofurans by reaction of 2-hydroxystyrenes and iodobenzenes via a C-H activation/oxidation tandem reaction has been unprecedentedly discovered. By using this strategy, the overall synthetic efficiency of the synthesis of decursivine and its analogues was indeed improved. Preliminary mechanistic studies shed light into the possible mechanisms.