A new and convenient metal-free cyclization of ortho -hydroxystilbenes into 2-arylbenzofurans and 2-arylnaphthofurans mediated by hypervalent iodine reagents is described. The cyclization products are isolated in good to excellent yields using stoichiometric (diacetoxyiodo)benzene in acetonitrile.
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Wirth et al. (2012) studied this question.