Cover Feature: Mechanistic Insights into the Formation of δ‐Lactones by Cerium‐Catalyzed Aerobic Coupling of β‐Oxoesters with Enol Acetates (Eur. J. Org. Chem. 6/2021)

Abstract

The Cover Feature shows the excited cuckoo dashing out of his (radical) clock, because the mechanism of the cerium‐catalyzed radical coupling reaction of β‐oxoesters, enol acetates, and dioxygen was finally elucidated by the introduction of cyclopropyl substituents as radical clocks. Furthermore, the introduction of stereocenters in the starting materials causes a stir, since the 1,2‐alkyl shift within the endoperoxidic oxycarbenium intermediate was proved to proceed with retention of configuration. More information can be found in the Full Paper by J. Christoffers et al.