Metal-catalyzed formation of 1,3-cyclohexadienes: a catalyst-dependent reaction.

A metal-dependent and complementary catalytic method to synthesize the cyclohexadienes has been developed. When gold or indium salts were used as catalysts, 1,3-cyclohexadiene (1,3-CHD) could be obtained; when Cu(OTf)2 was used as the catalyst, however, another isomer 2,4-cyclohexadiene (2,4-CHD) was furnished instead.