Silver Effect in Regiodivergent Gold-Catalyzed Hydroaminations

Abstract

We report a silver-induced switching of regioselectivity in gold-catalyzed reactions, and we provide mechanistic evidence to suggest a true "silver effect": that is, one that is implicated in the catalytic process itself, via σ-gold π-silver acetylides. These results are of significance because they clearly show that the use of silver as halide abstractors in gold-catalyzed reactions may result in "silver effects" when terminal alkyne substrates are involved.