An approach to the synthesis of naphtho[b]furans from allyl bromonaphthyl ethers employing sequential photoinduced radical cyclization and dehydrohalogenation reactions

A simple method has been developed for the efficient synthesis of naphtho[b]furans from allyl bromonaphthyl ethers. The approach utilizes a novel photochemical process involving sequential radical cyclization and dehydrohalogenation. Because light is a readily available, environmentally friendly reagent that produces no by-products, the new process serves as a green synthetic method.