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An efficient synthesis of N-acetyl-2-substituted indole derivatives via direct intramolecular hydroamination of N-acetyl-2-alkynylaniline derivatives was developed. The reaction could be applied to a wide range of substrates employing only 1–2 mol% of PtCl4 as the catalyst to furnish the desired indole products in moderate to excellent yields. The current protocol is efficient, reliable and scalable, and could serve as an important tool for convenient and rapid access to this important class of N-heterocyclic skeleton from readily available substrates.

Substituted furans are conveniently synthesized from acyclic secondary 1-alkyl-2-alkynylallylic alcohol precursors via an ICl-promoted cyclization reaction. The furans generated by this method incorporate both iodine and chlorine atoms which may be useful for further elaborations via many known methods. The methodology is suitable for generating a wide array of furan products which can serve as useful building blocks for the synthesis of various biologically active molecules.

A new synthesis of (−)-angustureine is described, featuring an annulation and fragmentation sequence that formally results in alkynylation of a β-amino ester. The six-step sequence from a readily available chiral β-amino ester to the natural product was achieved in 46% yield, with no protecting groups and three purifications.

A total synthesis of the rotenoid, 6-deoxyclitoriacetal, a cytotoxic natural product, was successfully achieved by using platinum-catalysed hydroarylation, Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation, regioselective IBX diol oxidation and stereoselective intramolecular keto-aldehyde pinacol coupling as the key steps.