The silyl enol ether of alpha-diazoacetoacetate is used for the annela
tion of aromatic oxo compounds. The method involves condensation with
the oxo compound in the presence of TiCl4 followed by rhodium octanoat
e-catalyzed ring closure to afford furan derivatives by direct carbene
insertion and beta-naphthol esters by a Wolff rearrangement pathway.
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