Gold(I)-catalyzed addition of carbon nucleophiles to 1,6-enynes gives two different type of products by reaction at the cyclopropane or at the carbene carbons of the intermediate cyclopropyl gold carbenes. The 5-exo-dig cyclization is followed by most 1,6-enynes, although those bearing internal alkynes and alkenes react by the 6-endo-dig pathway. The cyclopropane versus carbene site-selectivity can be controlled in some cases by the ligand on the gold catalyst. In addition to electron-rich arenes and heteroarenes, allylsilanes and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds can be used as the nucleophiles. In the reaction of 1,5-enynes with carbon nucleophiles, the 5-endo-dig pathway is preferred.

Indoles react intramolecularly with alkynes in the presence of gold catalysts to give from six- to eight-membered-ring annulated compounds. The cationic Au(I) complex [Au(P{C(6)H(4)(o-Ph)}(tBu)(2))(NCMe)]SbF(6) is the best catalyst for the formation of six- and seven-membered rings by 6-endo-dig, 6-exo-dig, and 7-exo-dig cyclizations. Indoloazocines are selectively obtained with AuCl(3) as catalyst in a rare 8-endo-dig process. In this process allenes or tetracyclic annulated derivatives are also formed as a result of an initial fragmentation reaction. The intermolecular reaction of indoles with alkynes proceeds to form 3-alkenylated intermediates that react with a second equivalent of indole to give bisindolyl derivatives. Indoles that are substituted at the 3-position react intermolecularly with alkynes to give 2-alkenylated intermediates that can be trapped intramolecularly with the appropriate nucleophiles.

Going for gold: Cationic gold(I) complexes favor formation of six‐ and seven‐membered rings by 6‐endo‐dig, 6‐exo‐dig, and 7‐exo‐dig cyclizations of alkynyl indoles, whereas indoloazocines are favored with AuCl3 as catalyst (see scheme). Allenes are also formed by a fragmentation process.

Gold(I)-catalysed addition of electron-rich arenes and heteroarenes to 1,6-enynes gives two different types of products by reaction of the intermediate cyclopropyl gold carbenes at the cyclopropane or at the carbene.

In this Communication, the enantiomeric excess reported for the hydrogenation of N-(3,4-dihydronaphthalen-2-yl)acetamide was incorrect. An unnoticed impurity contained in the racemic sample led to the use of an inappropriate HPLC method for the determination of the optical purity. Reanalyzing the sample with a correct HPLC method (Chiralcel OD-H, hexanes/isopropyl alcohol (95:5), 1.0 mL min À1 , 210 nm, t(À) = 23.5 min, t(þ) = 27.5 min) [1] showed that the reduction product was obtained in only 9 % ee. The authors apologize for this error.