Gold(I)-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions of Arenediazonium Salts with Alkynoic Acids

The reaction of simple alkynoate salts with isolated arenediazonium tetrafluoroborate salts that had been pre-conditioned with the gold(I) catalyst AuCl(Me2S) led to the formation of cross-coupled products via a decarboxylative Sonogashira reaction process in modest yield and under mild conditions. The major by-product is a defunctionalized aryl moiety stemming from the diazonium salt, which competitively forms via hydrodediazonation. Good functional group tolerance and reaction site selectivity were attained in this limited investigation.