Research on Au(I)-catalyzed ene-yne cycloisomerization for construction of quassinoid scaffold

Compounds that undergo Au(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerizations affording tetracyclic products that can be converted into compounds with the skeleton of bruceantin are described. The Au(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerizations reported herein are hindered by a 1,3-diaxial interaction between the substituent and the methyl group in the transition state. The use of small substituents was found to increase the yield of the desired product, while the reaction of substrates with large substituents afford undesired constitutional isomers.