Stereo- and regioselective gold-catalyzed hydroamination of internal alkynes with dialkylamines

We report the use of a P,N-ligand to support a gold complex as a state-of-the-art precatalyst for the stereoselective hydroamination of internal aryl alkynes with dialkylamines to afford E-enamine products. Substrates featuring a diverse range of functional groups on both the amine (ether, sulfide, N-Boc amine, fluoro, nitrile, nitro, alcohol, N-heterocycles, amide, ester, and carboxylic acid) and alkyne (ether, N-heterocycles, N-phthalimide amines, and silyl ethers) are accommodated with synthetically useful regioselectivity.