Construction of Bisbenzofuro[2,3‑b:3′,2′‑e]pyridines by Palladium-Catalyzed Double Intramolecular Oxidative C–H/C–H Coupling

The palladium-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative C–H/C–H coupling of 2-aryloxypyridines as challenging substrates is investigated to construct an important class of N,O-mixed heteroacenes, i.e. benzofuropyridines. It is found that 2,6-diaryloxypyridines efficiently undergo double cyclization to provide bisbenzo­furo­[2,3-b:3′,2′-e]­pyridines of interest in materials chemistry.