“…A stirred solution of methyl 2-diazo-2-phenylacetate 1 (200 mg, 1.13 mmol) and 4-methoxyaniline (280 mg, 2.3 mmol) in dry dichloromethane ( 5 ml) was treated with rhodium(I1) acetate (2 moW). The mixture was heated under reflux for 12 h, the solvent evaporated and the residue chromatographed on silica gel (light petroleum-ether; gradient elution) to give the title compound (243 mg, 79%) as a colourless crystalline solid, mp 107-108°C (lit., 79 (8), 168 (9), 151 (5), 134 (8), 122 (7), 107 (6), 91 (7), 77 (1 l), 64 (6), 51 (6) and 39 (4).…”