Novel Photochemical Rearrangement of Styrylfurans

A conrotatory photocyclization, a novel [1,9] hydrogen shift, and a lateral ring opening are involved in the rearrangement of a series of 2-(4-alkylstyryl)furans 1 to 5-(3-alkylbutadienyl)benzo[b]furans 2 in dichloromethane. These novel photochemical rearrangements occur with good yields of isolated products.