Facile synthesis of benzofulvene derivatives from Baylis-Hillman adducts: In-mediated Barbier reaction combined with Pd(0)-catalyzed intramolecular Heck-elimination cascade

A facile synthesis of benzofulvene derivatives was carried out starting from the Baylis-Hillman adducts of 2-bromobenzaldehyde via the sequential bromination, In-mediated Barbier reaction with aldehyde, acetylation, Pd-catalyzed intramolecular Heck reaction, and the elimination of AcOH.