The reaction of carbene-chromium complexes with alkynes provides a direct route to naphthoquinone derivatives and is the key step in a new approach to the isochromanone antibiotics exemplified by deoxyfrenolicin (1) and nanaomycin A (2). While the regioselectivity of intermolecular addition of the appropriate unsymmetrical disubstituted alkyne is unfavourable, two successful approaches have been developed. Allylacetylene ...
[Hwu, Jih Ru; Chua, Vincent; Schroeder, Jean E.; Barrans, Richard E.; Khoudary, Kevin P.; et al. Journal of Organic Chemistry, 1986 , vol. 51, # 24 p. 4731 - 4733]