Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Addition of Diphenyl Phosphate to Alkynes: Isomerization of Kinetic Enol Phosphates to the Thermodynamically Favored Isomers

Gold, gold, or …︁ gold? It depends on the (gold) catalyst whether the product of thermodynamic or kinetic control is formed in an unprecedented hydrophosphoryloxylation approach to enol phosphates (see scheme). A third catalyst, [(C6F5)3PAuOTf], was found to be exceedingly effective for the previously unknown isomerization of kinetic enol phosphates to the thermodynamically favored isomers. Tf=trifluoromethanesulfonyl; R=alkyl, cyclohexyl, Ph.