Gold‐Catalyzed Hydroarylation of Alkynes

Hydroarylations, also called alkenylations of (hetero)arenes are important transformations in organic chemistry. The recent development of gold-catalyzed processes to achieve such transformations has added a new tool in the chemist's toolbox. Thus, the hydroarylations of alkynes under gold catalysis are reviewed from a mechanistic and practical point of view. Both intramolecular and the more challenging intermolecular alkenylations are considered and described in a comprehensive account that includes detailed mechanisms as well as supporting theoretical calculations when relevant. This chapter also aims at illustrating the reactivity of internal and external alkynes which may differ in certain cases, as well as the various reactivities encountered with heteroarenes and arenes. The employment of supported gold catalysts to perform this type of transformations is also discussed in the last section of the chapter. Keywords: alkynes; alkenylations; catalysis; gold; hydroarylation