A formal 1,6-conjugated addition-mediated [2+1] annulation to synthesize spiro[2.5]octa-4,7-dien-6-one with p-quinone methides and sulfur ylides has been described. This domino-type process was highly diastereoselective and exhibited good functional group tolerance and scalability without the use of metals and bases.

A tandem 1,6-addition/cyclization/vinylcyclopropane rearrangement reaction (VCPR) of vinylogous para-quinone methides at low temperature under metal-free conditions has been disclosed for the first time. This method provides an efficient strategy for the construction of a range of spiro[4.5]cyclohexadienones in good yield, exhibiting good functional group tolerance as well as gram-scale capacity.

2,3-Dihydrobenzofurans were achieved via a 1,6-conjugated addition-mediated [4 + 1] annulation of ortho-hydroxyphenyl-substituted para-quinone methides in high yields with high diastereoselectivity.

This study used light-mediated comparative transcriptomics to identify the biosynthetic gene cluster of beticolin 1 in Cercospora. It contains an anthraquinone moiety and an unusual halogenated xanthone moiety connected by a bicyclo[3.2.2]nonane. During elucidation of the biosynthetic pathway of beticolin 1, a novel non-heme iron oxygenase BTG13 responsible for anthraquinone ring cleavage was discovered. More importantly, the discovery of non-heme iron oxygenase BTG13 is well supported by experimental evidence: (i) crystal structure and the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry revealed that its reactive site is built by an atypical iron ion coordination, where the iron ion is uncommonly coordinated by four histidine residues, an unusual carboxylated-lysine (Kcx377) and water; (ii) Kcx377 is mediated by His58 and Thr299 to modulate the catalytic activity of BTG13. Therefore, we believed this study updates our knowledge of metalloenzymes.

A 1,6‐addition arylation reaction of para‐quinone methides with α‐isocyanoacetamides and electron‐rich aromatic compounds under metal‐free conditions has been developed. BF3·Et2O plays two roles in the reaction: catalyzing the cyclization of α‐isocyanoacetamides to give oxazoles, and activating the para‐quinone methides to achieve the 1,6‐addition arylation process. The reaction shows good functional group tolerance, scalability, and regioselectivity. It is a consice protocol for the synthesis of diverse unsymmetrical triarylmethanes. Further transformation of the resulting triarylmethanes provides an efficient route to some functionalized molecules.