The enantioselective protonation of silyl enol ethers was realized in the presence of a pentacarboxycyclopenta-1,3-diene-based chiral Brønsted acid catalyst with water as an achiral proton source to give the corresponding α-aryl ketones in good yields and up to 75% ee.

A transition-metal-free, selenium mediated electrophilic cyclization reaction was realized through a one-pot procedure between simple alkynes and triflic anhydride-activated selenoxides to give selenium containing dihydronaphthalene prod-ucts. This method gave good to very high yields for all products, including selenium-substituted phenanthrene, dihydroquinoline, 2H-chromene, and coumarin, which can be further transformed to other functionalized compounds.

N-Alkylated 4-pyridones were obtained through a one-pot procedure involving either normal or interrupted Pummerer reactions between triflic anhydride-activated sulfoxides and 4-fluoropyridine derivatives, followed by hydrolysis. On the other hand, triflic anhydride-activated benzyl 6-fluoro-2-pyridyl sulfoxide could react with alkenes or alkynes to afford thiazolo­[3,2-a]­pyridin-5-ones, via the pyridinium salt intermediates.

N-alkylated 4-pyridones were obtained through a one-pot procedure involving either normal or interrupted Pummerer reactions between triflic anhydride activated sulfoxides and 4-fluoropyridine derivatives, followed by hydrolysis. On the other hand, triflic anhydride activated benzyl 6-fluoro-2-pyridyl sulfoxide could react with alkenes or alkynes to afford thiazolo[3,2-a]pyridin-5-ones, via the pyridinium salt intermediates.

N-alkylated 4-pyridones were obtained through a one-pot procedure involving either normal or interrupted Pummerer reactions between triflic anhydride activated sulfoxides and 4-fluoropyridine derivatives, followed by hydrolysis. On the other hand, triflic anhydride activated benzyl 6-fluoro-2-pyridyl sulfoxide could react with alkenes or alkynes to afford thiazolo[3,2-a]pyridin-5-ones, via the pyridinium salt intermediates.