Alkylation of sterically hindered 1,3-diketones under phase-transfer conditions

Sterically hindered 1,3-diketones react selectively with propargyl and allyl bromides under conditions of phase transfer catalysis to giveC-alkylated products, whereas reactions with butyl and benzyl chlorides yield mixtures ofC- andO-isomers. An increase in the size of the substituents present in the initial 1,3-diketone hampers introduction of the second propargyl group. The propargyl-substituted 1,3-diketones undergo cyclization under the alkylation conditions to give substituted furans.