Regioselectivity Switch: Gold(I)-Catalyzed Oxidative Rearrangement of Propargyl Alcohols to 1,3-Diketones

Abstract

The gold(I)-catalyzed oxidative rearrangement of propargyl alcohols provides an efficient and selective route to 1,3-diketones under mild conditions. Pyridine-N-oxides were used as external oxidants with, different from related substrates, no alkylidenecycloalkanones or oxetan-3-ones formed as side-products.