Ligand-mediated decarbonylation as an efficient synthetic method to Re(I) and Re(II) dicarbonyl complexes

Crossed Claisen condensations are base-promoted reactions between two different ester molecules producing β-dicarbonyl compounds. The reaction involving esters, with both containing α hydrogen, results in a mixture of four different products that are difficult to isolate. This reduces the synthetic utility of the reaction.

Dieckmann cyclization is an intramolecular Claisen condensation of diesters. The reaction occurs in the presence of a base and generates a cyclic β-ketoester as the final product. Commonly, 1, 6 and 1, 7-diesters are preferred substrates for the reaction since the generated five, and six-membered cyclic β-keto esters are particularly more stable.

Carboxylic acids can be prepared by the carboxylation of Grignard reagents (RMgX). This method is convenient for converting alkyl (primary, secondary or tertiary), vinyl, benzyl, and aryl halides to carboxylic acids with one additional carbon than the starting RMgX.

Malonic ester synthesis is a method to obtain α substituted carboxylic acids from ꞵ-diesters such as diethyl malonate and alkyl halides.

Just like β-keto acids—which upon thermal decarboxylation form ketones—β-dicarboxylic acids undergo decarboxylation to generate monocarboxylic acids with the liberation of carbon dioxide.

Cycloadditions are one of the most valuable and effective synthesis routes to form cyclic compounds. These are concerted pericyclic reactions between two unsaturated compounds resulting in a cyclic product with two new σ bonds formed at the expense of π bonds. The [4 + 2] cycloaddition, known as the Diels–Alder reaction, is the most common. The other example is a [2 + 2] cycloaddition.