Selective Olefination of Carbonyl Compounds via Metal-Catalyzed Carbene Transfer from Diazo Reagents

Abstract

A number of transition metal complexes are capable of catalyzing selective olefination of carbonyl compounds, including aldehydes, activated and unactivated ketones, with diazo reagents in the presence of triphenylphosphine or related tertiary phosphines. These catalytic olefination reactions can be carried out in a one-pot fashion under neutral conditions with the use of different diazo reagents as carbene sources, typically affording olefins in high yields and high stereoselectivity.