The Diels-Alder reaction of furans with arynes generated in situ from o-diiodoarenes and NaH

We introduce an effective approach for both intermolecular and intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions between furans and aryne intermediates. By employing o-diiodoarene as a stable precursor combined with sodium hydride, this method enables the straightforward in situ formation of reactive aryne species. Key advantages include a straightforward experimental procedure, readily available and low-cost starting materials, and relatively mild reaction conditions with reduced environmental impact, providing a reliable synthetic route to access 1,4-dihydro-1,4-epoxynaphthalenes and structurally complex polycyclic frameworks. The obtained products are valuable synthetic intermediates with promising potential for further derivatization across multiple research areas