Facile microwave-mediated transformations of 2-butene-1,4-diones and 2-butyne-1,4-diones to furan derivatives

Several di- and triarylfuran derivatives were prepared in high yields from but-2-ene-1,4-diones/but-2-yne-1,4-diones using formic acid in the presence of a catalytic amount of palladium on carbon and in poly(ethylene glycol)-200 medium in a one-pot operation under microwave irradiation (1-5 min).