Cycloisomerization of dienes with carbophilic lewis acids: mimicking terpene biosynthesis with Pt(II) catalysts

[reaction: see text]. Dicationic Pt(II) complexes containing triphosphine pincer ligands are excellent catalysts for the cycloisomerization of 1,6- and 1,7-dienes into bicyclopropane carbocycles. In analogy to the biosynthetic route to these monoterpene-like compounds, carbocation intermediates are proposed and supported by trapping experiments. Reactivation of the trapped intermediates indicates that cation generation by C-C bond formation is both rapid and reversible.