RhII -Catalyzed β-C(sp2 )-H Alkylation of Enol Ethers, Enamides and Enecarbamates with α-Diazo Dicarbonyl Compounds.

A RhII -catalyzed method for intermolecular alkylation of the β-C(sp2 )-H bond of enol ethers, enamides, and enecarbamates with α-diazo-1,3-dicarbonyl compounds is reported. The products are formed in up to 99 % yield and can be readily derivatized under a variety of conditions. By utilizing a combination of experimental and computational studies, the presumptive addition-elimination reaction mechanism was investigated and found to proceed under thermodynamic control at higher temperature. The acquired fundamental knowledge was translated into a strategic reaction design and yielded the first example of the β-C-H functionalizations of acyclic enol ethers using α-diazo-1,3-dicarbonyl compounds.