Ketone enolates, 1,4-diketone synthesis, copper

Diketones (8, 126-127). Complete details of the synthesis of 1,4-diketones by oxidative coupling of ketone enolates and trimethylsilyl enol ethers with Cu(OTf)2 are available.1 Use of isobutyronitrile is essential for the coupling it is not only a suitable solvent, but the nitrile group apparently facilitates reduction of the intermediate copper enolate to CuOTf.2 When acetonitrile is used by-products containing a nitrile group are formed. 1,4-Diketones are formed only in traces when DMF, DMSO, or HMPT is used. 

Complementary to the acylation of enolate anions is the acid-catalyzed acylation of the corresponding enols, where the regiochemistry of acylation can vary from that observed in base-catalyzed reactions. Although the reaction has been studied extensively in simple systems, it has not been widely used in the synthesis of complex molecules. The catalysts most frequently employed are boron trifluoride, aluminum chloride and some proton acids, and acid anhydrides are the most frequently used acylating agents. Reaction is thought to involve electrophilic attack on the enol of the ketone by a Lewis acid complex of the anhydride (Scheme 58). In the presence of a proton acid, the enol ester is probably the reactive nucleophile. In either case, the first formed 1,3-dicarbonyl compound is converted into its borofluoride complex, which may be decomposed to give the 3-diketone, sometimes isolated as its copper complex.164... 

The synthesis of 1,4-diketones by hydrogenation of diacylethylenes is described annelation of these diketones is reviewed. A new synthesis of 1,4-diketones is reported via reaction of diazoketones with enol acetates in the presence of copper salts treatment of the cyclopropyl ketone so formed... 

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