Nucleophilic Addition of Lanthanoid Metal Umpoled Diaryl Ketones to Electrophiles

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00261a017

Ytterbium metal promoted cross-coupling reactions of diaryl ketones with a variety of electrophiles are described.Diaryl ketones treated with 1-2 equiv of Yb metal react smoothly with other ketones, nitriles, epoxides, CO2, etc., to give the corresponding unsymmetrical pinacols, α-hydroxy ketones, 1,3-diols, α-hydroxy carboxylic acids, etc., in good yields respectively.These reactions occur via nucleophilic addition of the intermediates 4a-c to electrophiles.Reaction of benzophenone (1a) with Yb metal is discussed in detail and some information on the composition of the intermediates of the reaction of diaryl ketones with Yb metal are also given.