Abstract

Pyridine-substituted alkylidenecyclopropanes (Py-ACPs) react with gold(III) salts under mild reaction conditions via an unprecedented, proximal ring-opening pathway, to generate highly appealing, catalytically active pyridine alkenyl [C^N]-gold(III) species. Mechanistic studies reveal that the activation of the C-C bond in the cyclopropyl ring takes place through an unusual concerted, σ-bond metathesis type-process.