Trimethylsilylation, electrochemical formation

Matsumura and his coworkers [38] have employed the 2-pyrrolidone anion, in DMF solution, to deprotonate arylacetic acid esters with subsequent oxidative dimerization of the corresponding carbanions. This study includes a useful comparison between the electrochemical and chemical generation of the 2-pyrrolidone anion (by fluoride anion displacement in A-trimethylsilyl-2-pyrrolidone). The advantage lies with the electrochemical route, which gave yields of final product of 80%, compared with the 30% obtained with the chemically generated base (Scheme 10). The overall process, formation of dimethyl 2,3-diphenylsuccinates, is not only efficient and convenient but also operates with high diastereoselectivity when under the control of an oxazolidinone chiral auxiliary (Scheme 10). 

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