Ketones methyl, from diazomethane homologation

The suitably protected amino acid is activated as the mixed anhydride and treated with diazomethane to produce the corresponding diazo ketone. Rearrangement in the presence of water furnishes the p-amino acid. Diazomethane contains varying amounts of water, which is able to hydrolyze the activated amino acid. This leads to subsequent methylation by diazomethane to form the methyl ester as a side product. This cannot easily be removed from the diazo ketone, but can be separated during work-up of the homologated amino acids. 

Nelson and Scliut investigated the reaction of 5a-cholestanone (lb) with diazomethane in a search for a direct, one-step preparation of A-homo ketones. Using a large excess of diazomethane generated in situ from A-methyl-nitrosourea with potassium hydroxide in ether-methanol at 0°, 5a-cholestanone (lb) is converted into the 7-membered ring homolog (3b) as the predominant product. Both theoretically possible A-homo ketones can be expected with an unsymmetrically-substituted cyclohexanone such as 5a-cholestanone (lb). 

Diazomethane (15, 3) Diazomethane and its homologs are prqrared by the action of sodium /jo-proporide in o-propyl alcohol upon the products of nitrosation from 8-alkyl3mino-iso-butyl methyl ketones (obtained by adding the amine to mesityl oxide). Adamson and Kenner, J. Chem. Soc. 1935, 286. 

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