Abstract
2-Ethenyl-1-(prop-2′-yn-1′-ol)benzenes was cyclized through catalytic oxidation with PtCl 2 /CO/H 2 O and PEt 3 AuCl/H 2 O 2 ; the metal-naphthylidene intermediates were identified and oxygenated with water and H 2 O 2 , respectively; for the efficiency of cyclization, the Au catalytic system is superior to that of the PtCl 2 -catalysis because of its compatibility toward diverse alcohol substrates including both internal alkynes and terminal alkynes. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.