Reactions of 2-diazo-1, 3-diphenylpropane-1, 3-dione with α, β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones, and keto-imines, in refluxing anhydrous toluene indicate that benzoyl (phenyl) ketene, which is generated by the thermal Wolff rearrangement of 2-diazo-1, 3- diphenylpropane-1, 3-dione, shows a pronounced tendency to form chemospecific [2+ 4] Diels–Alder adducts with the carbonyl group in α, β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones, ...