Palladium(0)-catalyzed cyclization reaction of polymer-supported aryl iodides with 1,2-allenyl carboxylic acids. A facile solid-phase synthesis of butenolides.

[reaction--see text] Aryl iodides anchored to Merrifield resin via the linkages between a carboxyl, hydroxyl, or hydroxymethyl group and the benzylic chloride moiety in the resin reacted efficiently with 1,2-allenic carboxylic acids under the catalysis of Pd(0) to afford polymer-supported butenolides. Polysubstituted butenolides can be easily cleaved from the resins by Lewis acid-catalyzed processes in good yields and purities.