To explore the plausibility of this pathway, we synthesized several of our proposed intermediates and subjected them to reaction conditions which we imagine simulate what they encounter in the flask. Treating 71 with a mixture of Hg(OTf)2 and CF3CO2H led to formation of 5-membered silanediol 61 and ketone 28 in a 2:1 ratio (Scheme 8B). When Hg(OTf)2 was omitted (Scheme 8C), allylic silanols 66 and 2 formed. When 5membered silanediol 61 was stirred in the presence of Hg(OTf)2 and CF3CO2H, ketone product 28 formed (Scheme 8D). Collectively, these experiments established the competence of several of our proposed intermediates to form species downstream in the reaction cascade.