Gold‐Catalyzed Annulation Between 1‐[2‐(Dimethoxymethyl)phenyl]prop‐2‐yn‐1‐yl Acetates and α‐Diazo Esters or Anilines to Form Substituted Naphthoates and Indeno[1,2‐b]quinoline, Respectively

Abstract

AbstractThis work describes gold‐catalyzed annulations of 1‐(2‐(dimethoxymethyl)phenyl)‐1‐prop‐2‐yn‐1‐yl acetate substrates with α‐diazo esters and anilines, respectively yielding substituted naphthoates and indeno[1,2‐b]quinoline derivatives. Our mechanistic analysis indicates 1‐methoxy‐2‐carbonyl‐1H‐indenes as their common intermediates. In the formation of naphthoates, α‐diazo ester attacks at gold‐bound intermediate via an SN2 pathway to enable a allylic methoxy substitution. For indeno[1,2‐b]quinoline derivatives, there are two main reactions, including (i) a reversible formation between intermediate and a double amine addition product and (ii) an arylation reaction of intermediate. Species N‐(phenyl((2E)‐1‐(phenylimino)‐1,3‐dihydro‐2H‐inden‐2‐ylidene)methyl)aniline was converted to indeno[1,2‐b]quinoline in the presence of gold catalyst.