Paternò–Büchi reaction between furan and heterocyclic aldehydes: oxetane formation vs. metathesis

The photochemical reaction of 2-substituted heterocyclic aldehydes with furan gave the corresponding exo oxetane derivatives through the excited triplet state. However, in situ the oxetane derivatives were converted through a metathesis reaction into the corresponding Z,E-butadienyl formate derivatives. On the contrary, 3-substituted heterocyclic aldehydes gave the corresponding exo oxetane derivatives. The effect of 2-substituted heterocyclic ring in order to facilitate the metathesis reaction is explained considering the possible participation of the π aromatic orbitals in the oxetane C–O bond cleavage.