Gold(I)-catalyzed isomerization of allenyl carbinol esters: an efficient access to functionalized 1,3-butadien-2-ol esters.

A study concerning the gold(I)-catalyzed rearrangement of diversely substituted allenyl carbinol esters into functionalized 1,3-butadien-2-ol esters is described. The mild conditions employed allow the efficient, rapid, and stereoselective synthesis of a variety of such compounds via a new 1,3-shift of an ester moiety onto a gold-activated allene. [structure: see text]