Palladium (II)-catalyzed oxidative cyclization of methyl 2-allyl-4, 5, 6-tribromo-3- hydroxybenzoate 4 gave a mixture of methyl 5, 6, 7-tribromo-2-methyl-benzofuran-4- carboxylate 5 and methyl 6, 7, 8-tribromo-2H-1-benzopyran-5-carboxylate 6; the ratio of the two products varied between 71: 29 and 24: 76 depending on the reaction conditions. On the other hand, NBS or NIS mediated cyclization of 4 followed by treatment with NaOMe or ...