Gold(I)-catalyzed regioselective inter-/intramolecular addition cascade of di- and triynes for direct construction of substituted naphthalenes.

The gold-catalyzed cascade intermolecular addition-intramolecular carbocyclization reaction of dialkynylbenzenes was developed. In this reaction, regioselective addition of an external nucleophile toward the terminal alkyne and subsequent 6-endo-dig cyclization proceeded to give the 1,3-disubstituted naphthalenes in good yields. The direct synthesis of disubstituted chrysenes via a gold-catalyzed addition and double cyclization cascade using a triyne-type substrate was also achieved.