title: Iron-mediated oxidative C-H coupling of arenes and alkenes directed by sulfur: an expedient route to dihydrobenzofurans.
abstract: A novel route to medicinally-relevant dihydrobenzofurans utilises a sulfur-directed C-H ortho-coupling of arenes and unactivated terminal alkenes mediated by iron, and a palladium-catalysed deallylation/heterocyclisation sequence. The iron-mediated coupling affords linear products of alkene chloroarylation in good yield and with complete regioselectivity. The coupling likely proceeds by redox-activation of the arene partner by iron(iii) and alkene addition to the resultant radical cation.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK. david.j.procter@manchester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Craig W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Cavanagh
authors.forename: Miles H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Aukland
authors.forename: Quentin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Laurent
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hennessy
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Procter