Gold-catalyzed intermolecular hydrophenoxylation of unactivated internal alkynes.

A general and simple strategy for the synthesis of functionally diverse arylvinyl ethers is reported through gold-catalyzed intermolecular addition of electronically and sterically substituted phenols with unactivated alkynes. Addition of phenols to unsymmetrical alkynes provides the corresponding mixture of regioisomers with appreciable selectivity. Multiple hydrophenoxylations of polyphenols with diphenylacetylene are demonstrated successfully.