Rhenium-Catalyzed Regioselective ortho-Alkenylation and [3 + 2 + 1] Cycloaddition of Phenols with Internal Alkynes

An operationally simple and direct rhenium-catalyzed ortho-alkenylation (C-alkenylation) of unprotected phenols with alkynes was developed. The protocol provided ortho-alkenylphenols exclusively, and formation of para- or multiply alkenylated phenols and hydrophenoxylation (O-alkenylation) products were not observed. The [3 + 2 + 1] cycloaddition of phenols and two alkynes via ortho-alkenylation was also demonstrated, in which the alkynes functioned as both two- and one-carbon units. These reactions proceeded with readily available starting materials under neutral conditions without additional ligands.