A series of anisoles are complexed by pentaammineosmium(II),and the resulting
5,6-2-anisolecomplexes are treated with activated olefins or acetals in the presenceof triflic acid to form 4
H-aniso
liumcomplexes. These intermediates are capable of undergoing inter- orintramolecular nucleophilic additionreactions at C3, and 2-methoxy-1,3-cyclohexadiene complexes are formed.These complexes are readilyconverted into functionalized cyclohexenones, cyclohexadienes, andcyclohexenes. When BF
3·OEt
2 isused,it is possible to form a 4
H-aniso
lium complex with a pendentboron enolate, which can ultimately undergointramolecular addition to C1 to form the corresponding [4 + 2]cycloadduct. For cases in which an activatedalkyne is added to a C4-alkylated anisole, a migration of the vinylgroup occurs, leading to 4-methyl-3-vinylanisoles.