Gold-Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Cycloisomerization of 1,4-Enyne Esters to 3,5-Disubstituted Phenol Derivatives

A method to prepare synthetically important 3,5-disubstituted phenol derivatives that relies on the sequential gold(I)-catalyzed dehydrogenative cycloisomerization of 1,4-enyne esters in the presence of 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ) or N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFSI) is described. The synthetic versatility of the methodology was exemplified by a gram-scale reaction of one example, the ease to realize subsequent functional transformations of an adduct, and the application of the method to the synthesis of the bioactive molecule LUF5771.