Gold(I)-Catalyzed Synthesis of Indenes and Cyclopentadienes: Access to ( �)-Laurokamurene B and the Skeletons of the Cycloaurenones and Dysiherbols

The formal (3+2) cycloaddition between terminal allenes and aryl or styryl gold(I) carbenes generated by a retro- Buchner reaction of 7-substituted 1,3,5-cycloheptatrienes led to indenes and cyclopentadienes, respectively. These cycloaddi- tion processes have been applied to the construction of the carbon skeleton of the cycloaurenones and the dysiherbols as well as to the total synthesis of ( )-laurokamurene B