Development of an Alkyne Analogue of the de Mayo Reaction: Synthesis of Medium‐Sized Carbacycles and Cyclohepta[b]indoles

Abstract Embedded medium‐sized carbacycles and cyclohepta[b]indoles occur frequently as scaffold elements in natural products and bioactive compounds. Described herein is a conceptionally novel photochemically triggered cascade process to these scaffolds. Key to the cascading ring‐expansion process is an unprecedented intramolecular alkyne analogue of the de Mayo reaction.