Alkynyl Prins carbocyclization cascades for the synthesis of linear-fused heterocyclic ring systems

We report a Brønsted acid-catalyzed carbocyclization cascade, featuring condensation of an alcohol/sulfonamide with an aldehyde followed by an intramolecular three-component coupling involving an alkyne, an oxocarbenium/iminium ion, and an arene. A formal cycloaddition is embedded in the cationic cascade, which enables the synthesis of a wide range of fused heterotricycles. The diastereoselectivity of the cascade is studied using secondary alcohols/sulfonamides with different carbonyl partners. The described method results in the preparation of synthetically versatile scaffolds with ample opportunity for further derivatization at the resulting tetrasubstituted olefin, or by inclusion of other functionalizable motifs from the starting materials. It is worth noting that this chemistry also facilitates the synthesis of piperidines and 1,4-oxazepanes, as well as the inclusion of indoles and benzofurans, which are privileged motifs for medicinal chemistry. Herein we present the generality of this approach and some chemical transformations that can be achieved with our substrates.