Highly substituted benzo[ b ]furan synthesis through substituent migration.

An unusual benzofuran synthesis from 2,6-disubstituted phenols and alkynyl sulfoxides is disclosed. Various highly substituted benzofurans were synthesized via the charge-accelerated [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement and subsequent substituent migration. Multiaryl-substituted benzofurans and fully substituted benzofurans were prepared on the basis of the unique reaction mechanism.