I2-promoted selective oxidative cross-coupling/annulation of 2-naphthols with methyl ketones: a strategy to build naphtho[2,1-b]furan-1(2H)-ones with a quaternary center.

A highly efficient and selective molecular iodine-promoted oxidative cross-coupling/annulation between 2-naphthols and methyl ketones has been realized. The reaction successfully constructed a new quaternary carbon center within 3(2H)-furanones. Our synthetic strategy provided an in situ iodination-based oxidative coupling pathway. Based on the experimental results, a self-sequenced iodination/Kornblum oxidation/Friedel-Crafts/oxidation/cyclization mechanism was proposed.