RHODIUM-CATALYZED REACTION OF AROYL CHLORIDES WITH ALKYNES OR ALKENESIN THE PRESENCE OF DISILANES

Internal alkynes effectively undergo aroylarylation, that is 1,2-addit ion of aroyl and aryl groups, on treatment with aroyl chlorides in the presence of a catalytic amount of [RhCl(cod)](2) and PPh3 using hexam ethyldisilane as reducing agent to produce the corresponding 1,3-diary l-2-propen-1-one derivatives in good yields. The reaction can also pro ceed using relatively reactive alkenes such as norbornenes in place of the alkynes. Similar treatment of a terminal alkyne, phenylacetylene, with aroyl chlorides brings about aroylsilylation to give 1-aryl-2-ph enyl-3-trimethylsilyl-2-propene-1-ones. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.