Iodine-Catalyzed Synthesis of Substituted Furans and Pyrans: Reaction Scope and Mechanistic Insights

Substituted pyrans and furans are core structures found in a wide variety of natural products biologically active compounds. Herein, we report practical mild catalytic method for the synthesis substituted using molecular iodine, simple inexpensive catalyst. The described is performed under solvent-free conditions at an ambient temperature atmosphere, thus offering facile alternative to currently available reaction protocols. A combination experimental studies density functional theory calculations revealed interesting mechanistic insights into this seemingly reaction.