Intramolecular Diels-Alder Reactions of Tethered Enoate Substituted Furans Induced by Dialkylaluminum Chloride.

Gold(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of enynols 11 and 17, obtained by Sonogashira coupling, led to the tethered enoate-substituted furans 14 and 19. While attempts at thermal and several Lewis acid induced intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions remained fruitless, dialkylaluminum chloride led to the formation of hexahydroindene and octahydronaphthalene derivatives 20-23. Their formation can be explained by Lewis acid induced opening of the epoxy bridge with transfer of one alkyl group to the intermediate cycloadduct.