2, 3-Disubstituted furo [3, 2-b] pyridines, 2, 3-disubstituted furo [2, 3-b] pyridines, and 2, 3- disubstituted furo [2, 3-c] pyridines are readily prepared under mild conditions via the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of 1-alkynes with o-iodoacetoxy-or o- iodobenzyloxypyridines, followed by electrophilic cyclization by I2 or by PdCl2 under a balloon of carbon monoxide.