Abstract

The transition-metal-catalyzed formal C-C bond insertion reaction of diazo compounds with monocarbonyl compounds is well established, but the related reaction of 1,3-diketones instead gives C-H bond insertion products. Herein, we report a protocol for a gold-catalyzed formal C-C bond insertion reaction of 2-aryl-2-diazoesters with 1,3-diketones, which provides efficient access to polycarbonyl compounds with an all-carbon quaternary center. The aryl ester moiety plays a crucial role in the unusual chemoselectivity, and the addition of a Brønsted acid to the reaction mixture improves the yield of the C-C bond insertion product. A reaction mechanism involving cyclopropanation of a gold carbenoid with an enolate and ring-opening of the resulting donor-acceptor-type cyclopropane intermediate is proposed. This mechanism differs from that of the traditional Lewis-acid-catalyzed C-C bond insertion reaction of diazo compounds with monocarbonyl compounds, which involves a rearrangement of a zwitterion intermediate as a key step.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.