Synthesis of substituted anilines via a gold-catalyzed three-component reaction.

A three-component reaction for the synthesis of substituted anilines by a gold(i)-catalyzed domino reaction was developed. Cationic gold catalysts selectively and sequentially activated two different alkynes, which were involved in pyrrole synthesis and subsequent Diels-Alder reaction. The sequential formal (3 + 2) annulation/Diels-Alder reaction of three components provided a variety of substituted anilines in a modular fashion. Moreover, utility of the aniline products was demonstrated by derivatization to substituted benzoxazines, which are pharmaceutically important heterocycles.