Elementary Steps in Gold Catalysis: The Significance of gem ‐Diauration

Disturbing neighbors: Alkenylgold species with a heteroatom substituent are thought to be key intermediates in gold-catalyzed trans additions of protic nucleophiles to alkynes. One reason for the scarcity of such compounds lies in the non-innocence of the neighboring heteroatom, which may enforce the uptake of a second gold fragment with formation of surprisingly robust species with a gem-digold unit adjacent to a largely cationic center (see scheme).