Highly chemo-, regio-, and enantioselective rhodium-catalyzed cross-cyclotrimerization of two different alkynes with alkenes.

It has been established that a cationic rhodium(I)/(R)-tol-binap complex catalyzes the cross-cyclotrimerization of silylacetylenes, di-tert-butyl acetylenedicarboxylates, and acrylamides with excellent chemo-, regio-, and enantioselectivities. Unsymmetrical alkynoates can also be employed in place of di-tert-butyl acetylenedicarboxylate for this process, but with reduced chemoselectivity.