Triflic‐Acid‐Catalyzed Tandem Epoxide Rearrangement and Annulation with Alkynes: An Efficient Approach for Regioselective Synthesis of Naphthalenes

Abstract A facile triflic acid catalyzed method to synthesize 1‐arylnaphthalenes from one‐pot annulation reaction of arylepoxides and arylalkynes has been reported. The annulation reaction involves a successive epoxide to carbonyl rearrangement, electrophilic attack of carbonyl on arylalkyne followed by cyclization catalyzed by triflic acid. The present catalyst effects this transformation at room temperature itself.