The Ring‐Opening Reaction of Benzofuran Involving the Cleavage of C−O Bond

Abstract Ring‐opening of (di)benzofurans is a significant area of research in organic chemistry, offering versatile and direct synthetic strategies to access valuable functional phenol derivatives. Transition metal catalysis, particularly nickel‐catalyzed reactions, has been extensively explored for the selective cleavage of the C−O bond in (di)benzofuran. Metal‐free methods, such as acid catalysis and strong base‐mediated process, have also emerged as important alternatives. Organometallic reagents, including Grignard and organolithium reagents, play a pivotal role in promoting efficient C−O bond activation. The field of (di)benzofuran ring opening holds great promise for the synthesis of complex molecules with diverse applications in pharmaceuticals, materials science, and fine chemical synthesis. Continued research efforts will pave the way for innovative strategies and broaden the utility of (di)benzofuran derivatives in various fields.