Chemistry of 1,4-dioxene II. A new method for the two-carbon homologation of aldehydes and ketones to α-hydroxymethyl ketones

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)98662-3

1,4-Dioxen-2-yl lithium 2 reacts with ketones or aldehydes to give alcohols 3 which lead after an allylic rearrangement under mild conditions, followed by reduction and hydrolysis to α-hydroxymethyl ketones in fair yields.