Electrophilic gold(I) catalyst 6 competes with GaCl(3) as the catalyst of choice in the synthesis of fluoranthenes by intramolecular hydroarylation of alkynes. The potential of this catalyst for the preparation of polyarenes is illustrated by a synthesis of two functionalized decacyclenes in a one-pot transformation in which three C-C bonds are formed with high efficiency.
Keywords: alkynes; gold(I) catalysis; hydroarylation; polyarenes.