Dual Gold-Catalyzed Cycloaromatization of Unconjugated (E)-Enediynes

A synthesis of unconjugated (E)-enediynes from allenyl amino alcohols is reported and their gold-catalyzed cascade cycloaromatization to a broad range of enantioenriched substituted isoindolinones has been developed. Experimental and computational studies support the reaction proceeding via a dual-gold sigma,-activation mode, involving a key gold-vinylidene- and allenyl-gold-containing intermediate.