1,6‐Enyne Cyclizations Catalyzed by N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Supported Gold Complexes: Deconvoluting Sterics and Electronics

Abstract

Abstract A series of N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) supported gold(I) complexes were synthesized, characterized in solution as well as in the solid state, and examined as precatalysts for 1,6‐enyne cycloisomerization reactions. The product mixtures obtained for a variety of 1,6‐enyne isomerizations were governed primarily by the electronic properties of the aforementioned precatalysts. In particular, precatalysts containing electronic‐rich NHC ligands showed increased selectivity for bicyclic products, whereas analogous precatalysts supported by electron‐deficient NHCs preferentially afforded olefinic products.