Facile assembly of fused benzo[4,5]furo heterocycles

A concise synthesis of fused benzo[4,5]furo heterocycles 18 has been developed. Chemo/regioselective Suzuki coupling between 1,2-dihaloarene 17 and alpha-hydroxyphenylboronic acid or ester 20 gives biaryl phenol 19, which then undergoes copper(I) thiophene-2-carboxylate (CuTC)-mediated intramolecular cyclization to afford 18 in good overall yield. This method has broad substrate scope and allows facile assembly of a wide variety of benzo[4,5]furo heterocycles.