SnCl4-catalyzed reaction of o-benzoquinones and aryl acetylenes: an unprecedented one-pot synthesis of tropone derivatives.

Highly substituted tropone derivatives were obtained as a result of SnCl4-catalyzed cycloaddition of 3-methoxy-substituted o-benzoquinones with aryl acetylenes and subsequent rearrangement of the adducts with concomitant decarbonylation.