Transition-Metal-Free and Selective Deconstructive Carbonyl Olefination of α-Hydroxy Ketones: A Complementary Approach to Knoevenagel Reaction

Abstract

While the carbonyl olefination has been extensively studied and well documented, use of α-hydroxy ketones as precursors for the carbonyl olefination is not reported, till date. Herein, we report a transition metal-free and selective Knoevenagel-type deconstructive carbonyl olefination of α-hydroxy ketones using arylacetonitriles under mild reaction conditions. The reaction affords valuable scaffolds of acrylonitriles with the use of α-hydroxy ketones as precursors for carbonyl olefination.