Dual Gold/Silver Catalysis Involving Alkynylgold(III) Intermediates Formed by Oxidative Addition and C,H-Activation for the Direct Alkynylation of Cyclopropenes.

While gold-mediated synergistic catalytic processes involving transmetalations with other metals are well understood, Au(I)/Au(III) cycles in these reactions are rarely reported. Herein a gold-catalyzed direct alkynylation of cyclopropenes is enabled via two operating catalytic cycles, an oxidative catalytic cycle involving an alkynyl Au(III) complex formed by oxidative addition and a silver mediated C-H activation.