Gold Catalysis Enabling Furan-Fused Cyclobutenes as a Platform toward Cross Cycloadditions

The inherently strained furan-fused cyclobutenes, in situ generated via cycloisomerizations of allenyl ketones bearing cyclopropyl moiety under gold catalysis, have been utilized as reactive building blocks toward cross cycloadditions. The [4 + 2] and [3 + 2] annulations of these species with benzo[c]isoxazoles and N-iminoquinazolinium ylides furnish various three-dimensional cyclobutane-bridged polyheterocycles in good yields. A wide range of typically electron-deficient 1,3-dienes, heterodienes, and 1,3-dipoles can trap furan-fused cyclobutenes to afford several polycyclic architectures.