An efficient method for the synthesis of alkylidenecyclobutanones by gold-catalyzed oxidative ring enlargement of vinylidenecyclopropanes.
Rings of gold: Vinylidenecyclopropanes can undergo efficient oxidative ring enlargements under mild conditions to give the corresponding alkylidenecyclobutanone derivatives in good yields. A plausible mechanism for this transformation has been proposed, and a new Au(I) -N complex, which can be used as an efficient catalyst in this oxidation reaction, has been isolated.
State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Lu, Shanghai 200032, PR China.
Wei
W
Yuan
Xiang
X
Dong
Yin
Y
Wei
Min
M
Shi