A mild and efficient palladium-catalyzed oxidative diarylating carbocyclization of enynes is described. The reaction tolerates a range of functionalized arylboronic acids to give diarylated products in good yields. Control experiments suggest that the reaction starts with an arylpalladation of the alkyne, followed by carbocyclization, transmetalation, and reductive elimination to afford the diarylated product.

Transition metal catalysis has emerged as one of the most versatile methods for the selective formation of carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bonds. In particular, oxidative carbon–carbon bond forming reactions have been widely studied due to their atom economic feature. This thesis has been focused on the development of new palladium(II)-catalyzed carbocyclization reactions under oxidative conditions.

The first part of the thesis describes the palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidative carbocyclization-borylation and -arylation of enallenes. In these reactions, the (σ-alkyl)palladium(II) intermediate, which was shown previously to undergo β-hydride elimination, could be trapped in situ by organoboron reagents (B₂pin₂ and arylboronic acids) to form new carbon–boron and carbon–carbon bonds. Through these two protocols, a range of borylated and arylated carbocycles were obtained as single diastereomers in high yields.

The second part deals with a palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidative diarylative carbocyclization of enynes. The reaction was proposed to start with a syn-arylpalladation of an alkyne, followed by insertion of the coordinated alkene. Subsequent arylation afforded a series of valuable diarylated tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydropyran products.

The final part of the thesis advances the previously developed palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidative carbocyclization-borylation of enallenes in an enantioselective manner. C₂-symmetric chiral phosphoric acids were used as the novel co-catalyst to trigger the enantioselective formation of intramolecular carbon–carbon bonds. By using this chiral anion strategy, a number of enallenes were converted to the borylated carbocycles with high to excellent enantioselectivity.

An enantioselective oxidative carbocyclization-borylation of enallenes that is catalyzed by palladium(II) and a Bronsted acid was developed. Biphenol-type chiral phosphoric acids were superior co-catalysts for inducing the enantioselective cyclization. A number of chiral borylated carbocycles were synthesized in high enantiomeric excess.

A stereoselective palladium-catalyzed oxidative carbocyclization/arylation of enallenes is described. The reaction shows wide tolerance toward highly functionalized arylboronic acids and results In a cis addition of two carbon moieties to an olefin in good to excellent yields.

We report a palladium-catalyzed oxidative functionalization of alkynes to generate -acetoxylated enones in one step. A range of functional groups are well-tolerated in this reaction. Mechanistic studies, including the use of O-18-labeled DMSO, revealed that the ketone oxygen atom in the product originates from DMSO.

An efficient oxidative carbocyclization/borylation of enallenes uses Pd(OAc)₂ as the catalyst, B₂pin₂ as the boron-transfer reagent, and 1,4-benzoquinone (BQ) as the oxidant (see scheme). The reaction seems to take place through activation of the allene by a Pd^II complex to give an alkenyl–Pd^II intermediate followed by carbopalladation of the olefin and subsequent cleavage of the intermediate palladium–carbon bond by the boron reagent.

A highly selective palladium-catalyzed oxidative carbonylation/carbocyclization/alkoxycarbonylation of enallenols to afford spirolactones bearing an all-carbon quaternary center was developed. This transformation involves the overall formation of three C-C bonds and one C-O bond through a cascade insertion of carbon monoxide (CO), an olefin, and CO. Preliminary experiments on chiral anion-induced enantioselective carbonylation/carbocyclization of enallenols afforded spirolactones with moderate enantioselectivity.

An enantioselective Pd^II/Brønsted acid-catalyzed carbonylative carbocyclization of enallenes ending with a cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) with a terminal alkyne was developed. VAPOL phosphoric acid was found as the best co-catalyst among the examined 28 chiral acids, for inducing the enantioselectivity of α-chiral ketones. As a result, a number of chiral cyclopentenones were easily synthesized in good to excellent enantiomeric ratio with good yields.

An olefin-directed palladium-catalyzed oxidative regio- and stereoselective arylation of allenes to afford 1,3,6-trienes has been established. A number of functionalized allenes, including 2,3- and 3,4-dienoates and 3,4-dienol derivatives, have been investigated and found to undergo the olefin-directed allene arylation. The olefin moiety has been proven to be a crucial element for the arylating transformation.