Ligand-Free Silver(I)-Catalyzed Intramolecular Friedel-Crafts Alkylation of Arenes with Allylic Alcohols

The silver-catalyzed direct activation of allylic alcohols as electrophilic partners for intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation of arenes is described. Use of silver triflate (AgOTf; 10 mol%) enabled functionalized 1-vinyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalenes and a 4-vinyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline to be isolated in good yields with high levels of regiochemistry, under a ligand-free regime.