Macrocyclization of carbon dioxide with 3-triflyloxybenzynes and tetrahydrofuran: straightforward access to 14-membered macrolactones.

A novel [2+2+5+5] macrocyclization of carbon dioxide with 3-triflyloxybenzynes and tetrahydrofuran has been disclosed for the first time under transition metal-free conditions. The reaction provides a facile method for the synthesis of a rare type of 14-membered macrocyclic lactone, which is potentially useful but difficult to access by existing methods.