title: The versatility of furfuryl alcohols and furanoxonium ions in synthesis.
abstract: Substituted furfuryl alcohols are extraordinarily versatile starting materials in synthesis. They are precursors to furanoxonium ion intermediates which are implicated in the Piancatelli reaction (leading to 2-cyclopentenones) and in the synthesis of novel dihydrofuran-based exo enol ether/cyclic ketal natural products. They are also intermediates in a recently discovered (4+3) cycloaddition reaction with 1,3-dienes leading to furan ring-fused cycloheptenes. Here we provide a perspective on recent developments in these areas of synthesis, alongside recent applications of the Achmatowicz reaction and [5+2] cycloaddition reactions of the resulting oxidopyrylium ions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. gp@nottingham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Palframan
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pattenden