Gold-catalyzed intermolecular [4C+3C] cycloaddition reactions

In the presence of the N-heterocyclic carbene gold catalyst (NHC-AuIPr, 7), propargyl esters 1a-f and 13 undergo a [4C+3C] cycloaddition reaction with cyclopentadiene and furan under mild conditions. The evidence suggests that the formation of the seven-membered ring occurs by a direct cycloaddition process, rather than a stepwise cyclopropanation/Cope rearrangement sequence.