The Aryne Ene Reaction

Intermolecular aryne ene reactions present opportunities to arylate a wide range of unsaturated substrates in a single step, whilst intramolecular reactions provide expedient access to valuable benzo-fused carbo- and heterocyclic frameworks. This short review will chart the development of the aryne ene reaction from initial reports that rationalise unexpected byproduct formation in competing [4+2] and [2+2] cycloadditions through to its exploitation in contemporary synthetic methodology.

Automated summary

Intermolecular aryne ene reactions provide opportunities for arylation of various unsaturated substrates in a single step, while intramolecular reactions offer expedient access to valuable benzo-fused carbo- and heterocyclic frameworks. This review charts the development of the aryne ene reaction, from initial reports explaining unexpected byproduct formation in competing [4+2] and [2+2] cycloadditions to its application in contemporary synthetic methodology.