Gold(I)-catalysed [1,3] O→C rearrangement of allenyl ethers.

A simple and rapid access to the α-substituted acryl aldehydes has been provided by developing a gold-catalysed [1,3] rearrangement of the allenyl ethers importantly with a record turnover frequency of 4600 h(-1) (at 0.05 mol% of the catalyst concentration) in homogeneous gold(I) catalysis.