Gold‐Catalyzed [3+2] Cycloaddition/Hydrolytic Michael Addition/Retro‐Aldol Reactions of Propargylic Esters Tethered to Cyclohexadienones

Abstract

A golden dance! A series of symmetric and nonsymmetric propargylic esters tethered to cyclohexadienones were found to undergo the title reaction sequence under mild reaction conditions through gold catalysis. The product cyclohexenones or cyclohexanones having a γ-quaternary center arise from simultaneous multiatom transpositions with complete stereochemical control.