Ag(i)-catalyzed carbon–carbon bond formation between a ketone and an allylic C–H bond

Abstract

We report a silver-catalyzed cyclization of 1-(2,2-dimethyl-cyclopropyl)methyl ketones to give 1,2,4-trisubstituted benzenes. These reactions comprise an initial cyclopropane cleavage, followed by an aromatization of the resulting 4-en-1-one intermediate. The latter represents an unusual silver-catalyzed addition of a ketone to an allylic C–H bond via a non-carbonyl ene reaction.