An Economical Access to 3,4‐Diaryl‐2(5 H )‐furanones and 4‐Aryl‐6‐methyl‐2(2 H )‐pyranones by Pd‐Catalyzed Suzuki‐Type Arylation of 3‐Aryl‐4‐tosyloxy‐2(5 H )‐furanones and 6‐Methyl‐4‐tosyloxy‐2(2 H )‐pyranones, Respectively

Both symmetrical and unsymmetrical 3,4‐diaryl‐substituted 2(5 H )‐furanones have been efficiently synthesized using an inexpensive procedure involving the Pd(OAc) 2 /PCy 3 ‐catalyzed Suzuki‐type arylation of readily available 3‐aryl‐4‐tosyloxy‐2(5 H )‐furanones as the key step. The mild conditions of this arylation protocol have also been used for the high yielding synthesis of 4‐aryl‐6‐methyl‐2(2 H )‐pyranones from 6‐methyl‐4‐tosyloxy‐2(2 H )‐pyranone. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)