A gold-catalyzed cascade double cyclization reaction has been designed to synthesize heterobiaryl compounds such as furanyl and pyrrolyl 2H-chromenes from bis(alkynyl)-1,2-diols and 1,2-amino alcohols. The starting materials are readily available from biomass platform molecules such as α-hydroxy acids and α-amino acids. The process involves an initial heterocyclodehydration step enabling the formation of the furan or pyrrole ring, followed by an alkyne hydroarylation to form the chromene core.
