Abstract The reaction of 2, 3-benzofuran (1) with lithium and a catalytic amount of 4, 4′-di- tert-butylbiphenyl (TDBB, 5 mol%) in THF at 0 C leads to the stereoselective ring opening of the heterocycle, yielding the (Z)-organolithium derivatives (2) which, by reaction with different electrophiles [H 2 O, D 2 O, tBuCHO, PhCHO, Ph (CH 2) 2 CHO, Me 2 CO, nPrCOMe, PhCOMe,(CH 2) 4 CO] at− 78 C and final hydrolysis with water, give the ...
