Cu-Catalyzed Cascades to Carbocycles: Union of Diaryliodonium Salts with Alkenes or Alkynes Exploiting Remote Carbocations

Copper-catalyzed cascade reactions between alkenes or allcynes and diaryliodonium salts form carbocyclic products in a single step. Arylation of the unsaturated functional group is proposed to form a carbocation intermediate that facilitates hydride shift pathways to translocate the positive charge to a remote position and enables ring formation via a Friedel-Crafts-type reaction.