A general atom-economical approach for the synthesis of α-acyloxy methyl ketone is demonstrated through regioselective hydration of a wide range of propargyl acetates. Readily available catalyst comprising of 1% Ph(3)PAuCl and 1% AgSbF(6) in dioxane-H(2)O efficiently hydrolyzes the terminal alkynes of the propargyl acetate in the absence of acid promoters at ambient temperature within a short time. Effective regioselective hydration is facilitated by the neighboring carbonyl group as demonstrated through (18)O-labeling study. Compatibility of functional moieties and tolerance to various acid-labile protecting groups are observed. The catalytic condition is also suitable to perform hydration of TMS-substituted propargyl acetates, even though it requires prolonged reaction time for completion. Stereointegrity of the propargylic acetate is preserved during the hydration. The robustness of the system is successfully demonstrated through gram scale preparation of the product in nearly quantitative yield. The common α-acyloxy methyl ketone is transformed to 1,2-diol and 1,2-amino alcohol derivatives. Synthesis of actinopolymorphol B is achieved for the first time involving hydration of the propargyl acetate as the key step.

Regioselective hydration of the terminal halo-substituted propargyl carboxylate by gold(I) catalyst is reported. The mild catalytic conditions tolerate common acid-labile protecting groups, and a wide variety of α-acyloxy α′-halo ketones are efficiently synthesized within a short reaction time. The α-acyloxy α′-halo ketones are used for the synthesis of 2-aminothiazoles.

A base promoted reaction between N-protected propargyl amines and 3-bromopropiolate readily provides an array of novel stable alkyne-tethered ketene N,N-acetals in good yields. A wide range of structurally complex cyclobutene-fused azepine heterocycles are synthesized through the gold-catalyzed intramolecular cycloisomerization of ketene N,N-acetals for the first time. A plausible reaction pathway is deduced on the basis of the (1)H NMR studies.

Metal free α-halogenation of ynamides at room temperature.

Hydrate your chemistry! Hydrative cyclization of 5‐yne‐ynamides in the presence of Echavarren's catalyst and p‐toluenesulphonic acid (PTSA)⋅H2O at room temperature affords an array of 1,6‐dihydropyridin‐2(3H)one derivatives. Isomerization, epoxidation, and hydrogenation of the double bond and insertion of an extended π‐conjugate system into the pyridinone skeleton have been successfully accomplished (see scheme; Ts=tosyl).

A novel synthetic route to benzo[f]dihydroisoquinolone through a p-TsOH promoted cascade cyclization of easily accessible diyne-tethered ynamides in the presence of a Au(I)-catalyst is described. This reaction unveils a broad substrate scope, constructing a wide range of benzo[f]dihydroisoquinolones in good yields. The diyne-tethered ynamides are synthesized from inexpensive o-iodoaniline through Sonogashira couplings and the Cu-mediated C-N bond formation. The role of p-TsOH is examined, and the reaction pathway is also deduced. The benzo[f]isoquinoline scaffold is constructed from benzo[f]dihydroisoquinolones.

A synthetic method to prepare 1-naphthyl ketones from gold(i)-catalysed oxidative cycloisomerisation of 1,6-diyne acetates is described. The proposed mechanism involves cyclopropenation–cycloreversion of the 1,6-diyne motif initiated by a 1,2-acyloxy migration. This is followed by nucleophilic attack of the ensuing gold carbenoid species by a molecule of water and autoxidation to give the aromatic product.

An unprecedented metal-free dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and N-iodosuccinimide mediated regioselective 5-exo-dig oxidative cyclization of an in situ generated enol equivalent of amides from ynamides bearing internal alkynes is demonstrated. The reaction allows easy access to functionalized pyrrolidone skeletons. Pyrrolidones having 3-o-biaryl motifs successfully undergo intramolecular electrophilic cyclization with the α,β-unsaturated olefin, furnishing spiro-pyrrolidone motifs. A one-pot sequential 5-exo-dig cyclization of the yne-tethered ynamides, followed by electrophilic cyclization of the pyrrolidone, is presented. The role of DMSO in the transformation is clarified, and a tentative reaction pathway is proposed.