Abstract
Oxa-Povarov reactions involving readily available diaryloxymethylarenes and aryl-substituted alkenes are reported. Their [4+2] cycloadditions were efficiently catalyzed by IPrAuSbF 6 (IPr=1,3-bis(diisopropylphenyl) imidazol-2-ylidene) with high diastereoselectivity. Product analysis revealed that the reactions likely proceed by a stepwise ionic mechanism, because both E- and Z-configured β-methylstyrene gave the same cycloadducts in the same proportions. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.