Dual Gold/Silver Catalysis Involving Alkynylgold(III) Intermediates Formed by Oxidative Addition and Silver-Catalyzed C-H Activation for the Direct Alkynylation of Cyclopropenes

While gold-mediated synergistic catalytic processes involving transmetalations with other metals are well understood, Au /Au cycles in these reactions are rarely reported. Herein a gold-catalyzed direct alkynylation of cyclopropenes is enabled by two operating catalytic cycles, an oxidative catalytic cycle involving an alkynyl Au complex formed by oxidative addition and one involving a silver-mediated C-H activation.