Gold(I)-catalyzed tandem cyclization-selective migration reaction of 1,3-dien-5-ynes: regioselective synthesis of highly substituted benzenes.

Highly substituted benzene derivatives have been easily prepared in a regioselective way from readily available 1,3-hexadien-5-ynes through a gold(I)-catalyzed tandem reaction. The process involves an initial cyclization followed by a selective Wagner-Meerwein shift in which the migration preference seems to be determined by the ability to stabilize a positive charge.