Back Cover: Rhodium-Catalyzed Ketone Methylation Using Methanol Under Mild Conditions: Formation of α-Branched Products (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 3/2014)

Abstract

The α-methylation of ketones using methanol as the carbon source is described in the Communication by T. J. Donohoe et al. on page 761 ff. The reaction of a carbonyl compound, a base, a catalytic amount of rhodium, and methanol in an atmosphere of oxygen allows the alkylation to proceed at 65 °C. The use of an iridium/rhodium catalyst combination facilitates a double cycle of alkylation reactions, which transforms methyl ketones into more highly substituted compounds.