Efficient access to 1,3,4-trisubstituted pyrroles via gold-catalysed cycloisomerization of 1,5-diynes.

A gold-catalysed cycloisomerization of 1,5-diynes is described, which offers a selective approach to access 1,3,4-trisubstituted pyrroles. In this reaction, the cationic gold catalyst activates the ynamide moiety, initiating the cycloisomerization to produce the pyrrole core, and H 2 O acts as an external nucleophile to trap the vinyl cationic species, thus leading to the formation of 1,3,4-trisubstituted pyrroles with high selectivity.