An Efficient and General Iron-Catalyzed One-Pot Synthesis of Furans via a-Hydroxy Ketones and Activated Alkynes

A new practical and economical process for the synthesis of substituted furan derivatives has been developed by an FeCl3-catalyzed reaction of a-hydroxy ketones with activated alkynes. This methodology represents a highly efficient synthetic route to electron-deficient furans for which catalytic approaches are scarce. Furthermore, this transformation is associated with readily available substrates, good yields, and mild conditions.