Accessing chemical diversity by stereoselective gold-catalyzed manipulation of allylic and propargylic alcohols

Abstract

The combined use of asymmetric Au(I) catalysis with allylic as well as propargylic alcohols proved to be a competent synthetic tool, toward the realization of complex molecular organic architectures in a stereochemically defined manner. In particular, allylic alcohols have been utilized as alkylating agents in the synthesis of tetrahydrocarbazoles/carbolines and morpholines by means of new C-C and C-X bond-forming processes. Analogously, the direct activation of indole-propargylic alcohols with cationic Au complexes opened a direct access to tetracyclic fused indolines in a highly stereoselective manner. © 2012 IUPAC.