Cobalt‐Catalyzed Hydroarylation of 2,3‐Dihydrofuran to Access α‐Arylated Tetrahydrofurans.

The <italic>α</italic>‐arylated tetrahydrofurans, commonly found in biologically active molecules, exhibit diverse biological activities and pharmacological effects. The functionalization of 2,3‐dihydrofuran offers a potential route for the synthesis of substituted tetrahydrofurans. Nevertheless, the development of earth‐abundant metal‐catalyzed regioselective hydrofunctionalization of 2,3‐dihydrofuran for the synthesis of substituted tetrahydrofurans remains to be pursued. Herein, we report a cobalt‐catalyzed hydroarylation of 2,3‐dihydrofuran, which serves as the first example of cobalt hydride‐catalyzed alkene hydroarylation. This reaction provides an efficient method for the synthesis of <italic>α</italic>‐arylated tetrahydrofurans with high reaction efficiency, exclusive <italic>α</italic>‐arylation selectivity, and remarkable functional group compatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]