Ionic liquid promoted interrupted Feist–Benary reaction with high diastereoselectivity

A basic ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydroxide promotes the interrupted Feist–Benary reaction at room temperature under organic solvent-free conditions to produce a variety of substituted hydroxydihydrofurans. The hydroxydihydrofurans are converted to furans (Feist–Benary products) using the ionic liquid, 1-methyl-3-pentylimidazolium bromide at 70–75 °C. The reactions are very clean, high yielding and highly stereoselective.