Photocycloaddition, along with subsequent transformation of the photocycloadducts, provides expeditious ways to construct various structures. The photo-induced reactions of α-diketones have been reported to proceed via different reaction pathways with the involvement of one or two of the carbonyl groups. Photoinduced reactions of cyclic α-diketones including N-acetylisatin, phenanthrenequinone ...

A gold-catalyzed oxidation of arylallenes to form α-diketones and aldehydes in good yields is presented. Further directed synthesis of quinoxalines and benzimidazoles, via the condensation of the resulting α-diketones and aldehydes with benzene-1,2-diamine, was achieved in high yields.

The parallel solution-phase synthesis of more than 2200 7-trifluoromethyl-substituted pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine carboxamides on a 50-100-mg scale has been accomplished. Key reactions include assembly of the pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine ring by condensation of 5-aminopyrazole derivatives with the corresponding trifluoromethyl-beta-diketones. The libra...

Regioand stereoselective reductions of several diketones to afford enantiopure hydroxy ketones or diols were accomplished using isolated alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs). Results could be rationalised taking into account different (promiscuous) substrate-binding modes in the active site of the enzyme. Furthermore, interesting natural cyclic diketones were also reduced with high regioand stereosele...

The synthesis of gamma-functionalized cyclopentenones was carried out in a few steps, starting firstly with the preparation of nitroketonic intermediates 2, which were readily transformed into 1,4-diketones using the Nef conversion. The intramolecular cyclization of the gamma-diketones 3 in a basic medium, led to the functionalized cyclopentenones 4.

Efficient reduction of monoand disubstituted norbornyl α-diketones with zinc in [bmimBF4]:[H2O] to afford the corresponding acyloins in excellent yields and diastereoselectivities is described. In case of the monosubstituted norbornyl α-diketones, very high regioselectivities ranging from 90:10 to 100:0, in favor of diastereomer possessing endohydroxyl diagonal to endo-substituent were observed.

Thiazolium carbene-catalyzed reactions of 1,2-diketones and 1,2,3-triketones with enones and ynones have been investigated. The diketones gave α,β-double acylation products via unique Breslow intermediates isolable as acid salts, whereas the triketones formed stable adducts with the NHC instead of the coupling products.

Oxidation of 2-hydroxy-9,10-dialkynylanthracenes resulted in highly regioselective dimerization to furnish metastable dearomatized 1,4-diketones rather than stable aromatic diols. The 1,4-diketones were converted to oxahelicenes, which exhibited strong fluorescence both in solution and solid state as well as chiroptical properties.