Ytterbium(III) Triflate Catalyzed Tandem Friedel−Crafts Alkylation/Hydroarylation of Propargylic Alcohols with Phenols as an Expedient Route to Indenols

A method to prepare indenols efficiently by ytterbium(III) triflate catalyzed tandem Friedel−Crafts alkylation/hydroarylation of propargylic alcohols with phenols is described. The reaction was accomplished in moderate to excellent yields and regioselectivity under mild conditions and offers a straightforward and convenient one step synthetic route to bioactive indenols and its derivatives.