Copper-catalysed cyanoalkylative cycloetherification of alkenes to 1,3-dihydroisobenzofurans: development and application to the synthesis of citalopram.

A copper-catalysed cyanoalkylative cycloetherification of alkenes was developed. Heating a solution of substituted (2-vinylphenyl)methanol in MeCN/MeOH (v/v 7/3) in the presence of a catalytic amount of copper(ii) tetrafluoroborate hydrate [Cu(BF4)2·6H2O], bathophenanthroline, K3PO4, BnOH and (tBuO)2 afforded 1,3-dihydroisobenzofurans (phthalanes) via formation of one C(sp(3))-C(sp(3)) and one C(sp(3))-O bonds. A concise synthesis of citalopram, a marketed anti-depressant drug, was accomplished by applying this novel synthetic transformation.