Hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions of benzofuran and its derivatives (review)

The literature data relative to the hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of benzofuran and its hydrogenated derivatives in the presence of different types of catalysts are examined. The problems involved in the formation, stability, and transformations of carbonium ions in the benzofuran series under the conditions of ionic hydrogenation and reactions with hydrideion acceptors are discussed.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 435–446, April, 1976.