Synthesis of dihydrobenzofurans and dihydroindoles by intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction of aryloxy- and arylamino-substituted propargylic alcohols

A FeCl3-catalyzed intramolecular Friedel-Crafts cyclization of aryloxyand arylaminosubstituted propargylic alcohols has been studied. This transformation provides a versatile and direct strategy for the construction of dihydrobenzofurans and dihydroindoles from easily accessible starting materials.