Nature of the Nucleophilic Oxygenation Reagent Is Key to Acid-Free Gold-Catalyzed Conversion of Terminal and Internal Alkynes to 1,2-Dicarbonyls.

2,3-Dichloropyridine N-oxide, a novel oxygen transfer reagent, allows the conductance of the gold(I)-catalyzed oxidation of alkynes to 1,2-dicarbonyls in the absence of any acid additives and under mild conditions to furnish the target species, including those derivatized by highly acid-sensitive groups. The developed strategy is effective for a wide range of alkyne substrates such as terminal- and internal alkynes, ynamides, alkynyl ethers/thioethers, and even unsubstituted acetylene (40 examples; yields up to 99%). The oxidation was successfully integrated into the trapping of reactive dicarbonyls by one-pot heterocyclization and into the synthesis of six-membered azaheterocycles. This synthetic acid-free route was also successfully applied for the total synthesis of a natural 1,2-diketone.