N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed cascade reaction involving the hydroacylation of unactivated alkynes.

The N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed hydroacylation of unactivated alkynes to provide alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones is reported. In addition, a rare case of an efficient and selective dually NHC-catalyzed cascade reaction involving the hydroacylation of alkynes and a subsequent intermolecular Stetter reaction allows the formation of chromanones containing a 1,4-diketone moiety.