Palladium-catalyzed allenylation/intramolecular diels-alder reaction of furans with propargyl carboxylates for the synthesis of polycyclic compounds

A highly efficient palladium-catalyzed cascade reaction of propargyl carboxylates bearing a furanyl group with organoborons was developed. This methodology offers rapid access to polycyclic Diels-Alder cycloadducts in good to high yields. The thus-formed oxygen-bridged products were further converted into anthracene derivatives in a chemoselective manner under mild conditions.