Rhodium‐Catalyzed Rearrangement of Aryl Bis(alkynyl) Carbinols to 3‐Alkynyl‐1‐indanones

Ten little indanones: The title reaction (see scheme; Si=trialkylsilyl) is proposed to go through a pathway involving a β-carbon elimination/carborhodation sequence. Ready access to the carbinol substrates from an aromatic ester and a terminal alkyne makes the present catalysis reaction an efficient way of preparing 3-alkynyl-1-indanones.