Enantioselective intramolecular [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of enediynes for the synthesis of chiral cyclohexa-1,3-dienes.

The enantioselective intramolecular [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of various enediynes, where two acetylenic moieties are connected by a trans-olefinic moiety, gave chiral tricyclic cyclohexa-1,3-dienes using Rh-H8-BINAP catalyst. In the case of carbon-atom-tethered enediynes, enantioselectivity was generally good-to-high regardless of the substituents on their alkyne termini. In contrast, with heteroatom-tethered enediynes, appropriate substituents were required to induce the oxidative coupling of alkyne and alkene moieties before that of two alkyne moieties, which would be important for highly enantioselective intramolecular cycloaddition.