A novel diazo-cascade approach has been developed for the synthesis of nine-membered oxacycles utilizing readily accessible β-hydroxy vinyl ketones and vinyl diazo esters. The Rh(II)-catalyzed cascade reaction begins with carbene O-H insertion followed by an intramolecular aldol cyclization to provide a substituted tetrahydrofuran intermediate that undergoes an oxy-Cope rearrangement to provide functionalized nine-membered oxacycles with complete stereoselectivity.
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