Synthesis of new terpene derivatives via ruthenium catalysis: rearrangement of silylated enynes derived from terpenoids

Enyne rearrangement of silylated modified terpenoids has been used as the key step for the synthesis of new terpenes and terpenoids. The catalytic system generated in situ from [RuCl2(p-cymene]2, 1,3-bis(mesityl)imidazolinium chloride and cesium carbonate is able to perform the transformation of silylated 1,7-enynes into cyclic siloxanes. Selective cleavage of the silicon–carbon and silicon–oxygen bonds by simple reactions has been performed to afford new terpenes and terpenoids by formal addition of a C5 unit.