Zinc-Catalyzed Synthesis of Conjugated Dienoates through Unusual Cross-Couplings of Zinc Carbenes with Diazo Compounds.

Zinc-catalyzed selective cross-coupling of two carbene sources, such as vinyl diazo compounds and enynones, enabled the synthesis of conjugated dienoate derivatives. This reaction involved the unprecedented coupling of a zinc furyl carbene with vinyl diazo compounds through the γ-carbon. Alternatively, dienoates were also prepared by a commutative cross-coupling of zinc vinyl carbenes generated from cyclopropenes and simple diazo compounds.