Goupiolone A, a benzotropolone natural product, has been synthesized by assembling a benzocyclobutene derivative and a silyl‐substituted cyclopropane unit, followed by thermal ring enlargement. The synthetic sample did not correspond to the reported data. On the basis of biogenetic considerations, an alternative structure with a catechol moiety was proposed, and the synthesis established it as the correct structure.

Details of the direct synthesis of cationic Ru(II)(η5‐Cp)(η6‐arene) complexes from ruthenocene using microwave heating are reported. Developed for the important catalyst precursor [Ru(II)(η5‐Cp)(η6‐1‐4,4a,8a‐naphthalene)][PF6] reaction time could be shortened from three days to 15 min. The method was extended to [Ru(II)(η6‐benzene)(η5‐Cp)][PF6], [Ru(II)(η5‐Cp)(η6‐toluene)][PF6], [Ru(II)(η5‐Cp)(η6‐mesitylene)][PF6], [Ru(II)(η5‐Cp)(η6‐hexamethylbenzene)][PF6], [Ru(II)(η5Cp)(η6‐indane)][PF6], [Ru(II)(η5‐Cp)(η6‐2,6‐dimethylnaphthalene)][PF6], and [Ru(II)(η5‐Cp)(η6‐pyrene)][PF6]. 1‐methylnaphthalene and 2,3‐dimethylnaphthalene afforded mixtures of regioisomeric complexes. [Ru(Cp)(CH3CN)3][PF6], derived from the naphthalene precursor provided access to the cationic RuCp complexes of naphthoquinone, tetralindione, 1,4‐dihydroxynaphthalene, and 1,4‐dimethoxynaphthalene. Reduction of the tetralindione complex afforded selectively the endo,endo diol derivative. X‐Ray structures of five complexes are reported.

Ring expansion of benzocyclobutenes bearing a cyclopropane ring to benzocycloheptenes is described, which allows facile construction of highly functionalized seven-membered ring compounds.

A facile synthesis of highly functionalized seven‐membered ring compounds is described.