The geminal acylation of acetals and ketones with 1, 2-bis [(trimethylsilyl) oxy] cyclobutene (1) catalyzed by BF3 ‚Et2O is a powerful method for the introduction of a 1, 3- cyclopentanedione moiety. 1 The process involves an initial aldol reaction that gives an isolable cyclobutanone compound, followed by an acid-induced acyl migration to provide the diketone. Both steps are now normally accomplished in one pot. 1b-d We showed that ...
