Table 1.

Optimization of reaction conditions.^{a, b}

Entry	Variation from “standard conditions”	Yield (%)b
		2a	3a
1	none	78	<5
2	No LiClO4	23	10
3	0.2 mol/L nBu4NOAc instead	36	16
4	0.5 mol/L LiClO4 instead	trace	<5
5	0.5 mol/L LiOAc 2H2O as only electrolyte	36	<5
6	5 mL MeOH, no MeCN	15	10
7	MeOH:MeCN = 1:4	23	8
8	Under Ar	trace	0
9	Under O2	68	8
10	“water-free” operation	38	<5
11	No [Au]	0	<5

^aConditions: 1a (0.5 mmol), Ph₃PAuCl (0.025 mmol), nBu₄NOAc (2.5 mmol), LiClO₄ (1 mmol), MeOH (4 mL), MeCN (1 mL), air, r.t., 12 h.

^b1H NMR yields using 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene as an internal standard.