Direct Observation of α-Oxo Ketenes from the Photolysis of α-Diazo β-Diketones

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00044a019

Monitoring by IR spectroscopy of the broad-band irradiation of the symmetrically substituted 2-diazocyclohexane-1,3-dione (11), 3-diazopentane-2,4-dione (19), and 4-diazo-2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dione (24) in Ar matrices at 12 K showed the formation of 2-carbonylcyclopentanone (s-Z-12), acetyl(methyl)ketene (s-E-20), and tert-butyl(pivaloyl)ketene (s-E-25), respectively, in less than 10 min.On increasing the photolysis time to >3 h, the α-oxo ketenes 12, 20, and 25 decarbonylated to the corresponding oxocarbenes which underwent Wolff rearrangement to carbonylcyclobutane (15), dimethylketene (23), and di-tert-butylketene (28), respectively.The reaction of 2-carbonylcyclopentanone (12) with CH3OH was monitored by IR spectroscopy.Thus, it was found that the reaction started at ca. 100 K and was essentially complete at 140 K, involving the initial formation of the enol form (9) of methyl 2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate.