Decarboxylative homo-Nazarov cyclization catalyzed by a rhenium complex was achieved using a cyclic enol carbonate bearing a cyclopropane moiety as a substrate.

No abstract

A Lewis acid-catalyzed decarboxylative substitution reaction of cyclic enol carbonates with a cyanation reagent was developed to give β-ketonitriles in good yield. It is proposed that the reaction proceeds through an oxyallyl cation intermediate or its equivalent. Interestingly, cyanation selectively took place at the more hindered site of the intermediate to afford a multi-substituted β-ketonitrile. This regioselectivity was observed by the cyanation of a wide range of substrates and is discussed in terms of the reaction mechanism.