Cu(II)-Catalyzed Benzannulation of Triynols to Synthesize β-Naphthyl Ketones Using Methanol as a Traceless Protective Agent.

Herein, we report an efficient copper(II)/oxamide-catalyzed cascade reaction of triynols. The reaction process appears to involve a Cu(II)-catalyzed tandem nucleophilic substitution reaction of the methanol/interrupted Meyer-Schuster rearrangement/aromatic annulation reaction. This approach provides a simple and efficient route to obtaining a wide variety of highly functionalized aromatic ketones under mild reaction conditions. Based on control experiments and deuterium labeling experiments, a catalytic mechanism was proposed.