Ring opening of aryl cyclopropyl ketones to l‐Acyl‐l,l,3‐tribromo‐ propanes and their cyclization to 2‐Aryl‐3,3‐dibromo‐2‐methoxy and ‐2‐cyanotetrahydrofurans

Abstract
The reaction of aryl cyclopropyl ketones 1 with excess bromine gave l‐acyl‐l,l,3‐tribromopropanes 2, which were cyclized to 2‐aryl‐3,3‐dibromo‐2‐methoxytetrahydrofurans 3 on treatment with alkaline in aqueous methanol. 2‐Aryl‐3,3‐dibromo‐2‐cyanotetrahydrofurans 5 were obtained by the reactions of 2 with sodium cyanide.