Carbon dioxide triggered and copper-catalyzed domino reaction: efficient construction of highly substituted 3(2H)-furanones from nitriles and propargylic alcohols

A novel carbon dioxide triggered and copper-catalyzed domino reaction for the efficient synthesis of highly substituted 3(2H)-furanones from readily available nitriles and propargylic alcohols has been developed. Carbon dioxide is a prerequisite for achieving the present catalytic transformation, and one of the oxygen atoms of carbon dioxide is incorporated into the 3(2H)-furanones. Nitriles not only act as the reaction solvent but also as the reactant; copper salts play dual roles of activating both the propargylic alcohols and nitriles.