No abstract

Cycloisomerizations of allenynes to allenenes have been studied in the presence of catalytic amounts of [Au(PPh3)]SbF6 in dichloromethane or GaCl3 in toluene. Both catalytic systems are quite effective for terminal 1,6-allenynes. However, they showed different reactivities toward allenynes with di-substituents at the allenic terminal carbon. For the GaCl3-catalyzed reactions, allenenes were obtained in reasonable to high yields. However, for a Au(I)-catalyzed reaction, a triene was obtained in a poor yield. Thus, GaCl3 serves as an effective catalyst for the cycloisomerization of allenynes bearing a terminal alkyne to give cyclic allenenes in reasonable to high yields.

No abstract

The Pd(PPh3)4-catalyzed decarboxylation of buta-2,3-dienyl 2'-alkynoates allows the rapid construction of 2-alkynyl buta-1,3-dienes. The carbon-carbon bond-forming reaction occurs at the central position of an allene moiety.

Cycloisomerizations of allenynes to allenenes have been studied in the presence of catalytic amounts of [Hg(OTf)2] in acetonitrile. The catalytic system is quite effective for terminal 1,6-allenynes: allenenes were obtained in reasonable to high yields. However, treatment of allenynes with disubstituents at the allenic terminal carbon yielded a triene and/or allenene as a major product(s) depending upon the substituents.