Highly Selective Visible-Light-Induced Cascade Cyclization of Vinyl Sulfoxonium Ylides with Azides: A Novel Synthetic Approach to Trisubstituted Furans

Abstract

A simple protocol for the synthesis of trisubstituted furans via visible-light-driven regioselective cascade cyclization of vinyl sulfoxonium ylides with azides has been achieved. The reaction proceeds through the formation of a novel α-enone-α’-amide sulfoxonium ylide, which undergoes cyclization upon blue light irradiation to yield trisubstituted furan scaffold. This method offers advantages including the absence of transition metals and photocatalysts, as well as the desired trisubstituted furans were prepared in good to excellent yields.