Synthesizing carbonyl furan derivatives by a dehydrogenative coupling reaction.

Herein, we report the development of an efficient green procedure for synthesizing carbonyl furan derivatives by dehydrogenative coupling of furfuryl alcohol with carbonyl compounds. The reaction is performed under mild reaction conditions in the presence of iPrPNP-Mn as the catalyst and a weak base (Cs2CO3). A range of ketones and aldehydes were efficiently diversified with furfuryl alcohol to afford furyl-substituted saturated ketones, and α,β-unsaturated ketones and aldehydes in good isolated yields.