Highly Chemoselective Construction of Spiro[4,5]decane-Embedded Polycyclic Scaffolds by a Palladium/Norbornene-Catalyzed C-H Activation/Arene Dearomatization Reaction

A highly chemoselective intermolecular annulation reaction of phenol-based biaryls with bromoalkyl alkynes has been successfully developed by palladium/norbornene catalysis. This domino process was accomplished by following a cascade of Catellani-type C-H functionalization, alkyne migratory insertion, and arene dearomatization, thus leading to a large number of spiro[4,5]decane-embedded polycyclic molecules bearing various functional groups in moderate to excellent yields.