Benzene construction via Pd-catalyzed cyclization of 2,7-alkadiynylic carbonates in the presence of alkynes

Chem Sci. 2018 Dec 19;10(7):2228-2235. doi: 10.1039/c8sc04681f. eCollection 2019 Feb 21.

Abstract

A palladium-catalyzed highly regio- and chemo-selective cyclization of 2,7-alkadiynylic carbonates with functionalized alkynes to construct 1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran and isoindoline derivatives under mild conditions has been developed. Functional groups such as alcohol, sulfonamide, and indoles could be well tolerated. After careful mechanistic studies, a mechanism involving oxidative addition and regioselectivity-defined double alkyne insertions has been proposed.