FORMAL 1,6-INSERTION OF AN ALKYLIDENECARBENE INTO A CARBON-HYDROGEN BOND. UNVEILING OF A STEPWISE REACTION MECHANISM.

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)97717-7

The formation of 1,3-dimethylquinol-2-one (6a) by reaction of N-methyl-N-phenyl-2-oxopropanamide (1a) with diethyl(diazomethyl)phosphonate (2), an apparent C-H insertion by an alkylidenecarbene, is shown to involve a stepwise rather than a concerted reaction pathway.