Synthesis of 2,4-disubstituted 3-chlorofurans and the effect of the chlorine substituent in furan Diels-Alder reactions

2,4-Disubstituted 3-chlorofurans were synthesized in 42-69% overall yields by CuCl/bpy-catalyzed halogen atom transfer radical cyclization of 1-substituted 2,2,2-trichloroethyl allyl ethers to 2-substituted 3,3-dichloro-4-(1-chloroalkyl)tetrahydrofurans followed by base promoted dehydrochlorination. Diels-Alder reactions of 4-substituted 2-(2-furyl)-, 2-styryl-, and 2-crotyl-3-chlorofurans with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate occurred exclusively on the chlorofurano diene moieties and not on the non-chlorinated furano diene or the chlorinated exocyclic diene alternatives, demonstrating the predominance of the halogen effect in the furan Diels-Alder reaction.