Iodine-Catalyzed Synthesis of Substituted Furans and Pyrans: Reaction Scope and Mechanistic Insights

Substituted pyrans and furans are core structures found in a wide variety of natural products and biologically active compounds. Herein, we report a practical and mild catalytic method for the synthesis of substituted pyrans and furans using molecular iodine, a simple and inexpensive catalyst. The method described is performed under solvent-free conditions at an ambient temperature and atmosphere, thus offering a facile and practical alternative to currently available reaction protocols. A combination of experimental studies and density functional theory calculations revealed interesting mechanistic insights into this seemingly simple reaction.

Automated summary

A practical and mild catalytic method for the synthesis of substituted pyrans and furans using molecular iodine has been reported, offering a facile alternative under solvent-free conditions at ambient temperature and atmosphere. Mechanistic insights into this seemingly simple reaction were revealed through a combination of experimental studies and density functional theory calculations.