Gold-catalysed, divergent synthesis of 2-sulfonylmethyl pyrroles and dihydropyridines from N-propargyl-N-vinyl sulfonamides has been achieved. Echavarren's gold(I) catalyst promoted the formation of pyrrole derivatives whereas the combination of PPh3AuCl and AgSbF6 afforded dihydropyridines. The aza-enyne precursors for the cycloisomerisation reaction were prepared by a base-mediated formal vinylic substitution reaction of 2-bromoallyl sulfones.

Facile conversion of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones into highly substituted arenes via a base-mediated, completely regioselective, air-oxidative [3 + 3] benzannulation reaction with readily available 4-sulfonylcrotonates or 1,3-bisphenylsulfonylpropene is reported. The reaction can also be carried out as a one-pot, three-component operation using 4-bromocrotonates, aryl sulfinates, and cinnamaldehyde. This open-flask, metal-free reaction does not require anhydrous solvents, proceeds under mild conditions, and uses atmospheric oxygen as the oxidant to afford high yields of the 3-(arylsulfonyl)benzoic acid esters.

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Gold-catalyzed, regioselective cycloisomerization of N-(o-alkynylaryl)-N-vinyl sulfonamides afforded high yields of 2-sulfonylmethyl-1-benzoazepine derivatives. This 7-endo-dig selective cyclization proceeds via the incorporation of an exocyclic double bond by a labile 1-benzoazepine intermediate. The cyclization substrates were assembled in two steps from readily available materials using Sonogashira coupling and a Cs2CO3-mediated formal vinylic substitution.