Copper-catalyzed, C-C coupling-based one-pot tandem reactions for the synthesis of benzofurans using o-iodophenols, acyl chlorides, and phosphorus ylides.

One-pot reactions involving acyl chlorides, phosphorus ylides, and o-iodophenols with copper catalysis have been established for the rapid synthesis of functionalized benzofurans. With all of these easily available and stable reactants, the construction of the target products has been accomplished via tandem transformations involving a key C-C coupling, leading to the formation of one C(sp(2))-C bond, one C(sp(2))-O bond, and one C ═ C bond.