High yields and high endo selectivity of the cycloadducts formed from the Diels–Alder reaction of furan or substituted furans occurs with an HfCl4 catalyst (see scheme). The use of the catalyst allows reactions to be performed at low temperature under kinetic control, as shown for the highly diastereoselective Diels–Alder reaction of a chiral acrylate.
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Hayashi et al. (2002) studied this question.