Intramolecular Copper- and Rhodium-Mediated Carbenoid Reactions of α-(Propargyloxy)silyl-α-diazoacetates

Abstract

Copper(I) triflate catalyzes the transformation of α-[(2-alkynyl)oxy]silyl-α-diazoacetates 1a–g into 1,2-bis(2,5-dihydro-1,2-oxasilol-4-yl)ethenes 2 and/or 2H-1,2-oxasilines 3. With rhodium(II) perfluorobutyrate as catalyst, 1a–e furnish only 3 but no 2. Bicyclic 2-methoxyfurans 6 are formed when 1a,c,e (containing terminal alkyne functions) are treated with catalytic amounts of copper(I) chloride. The experimental observations are explained in terms of metal-mediated intramolecular cyclopropenation and subsequent metal-assisted ring-opening of the strained bicyclic cyclopropene leading to vinylcarbene-metal complexes. An unusual autoxidation of 2H-1,2-oxasilines 3a,c,e is also described.