A highly efficient ruthenium-catalyzed rearrangement of alpha,beta-epoxyketones to 1,2-diketones

TpRuPPh(3)(CH(3)CN)(2)PF(6) catalyzed the efficient rearrangement of alpha,beta-epoxyketones to 1,2-diketones. Unlike a previously reported iron catalyst, the reaction in this case is applicable not only to 1,2-disubstituted epoxides but also to mono- and trisubstituted epoxides and tolerates oxygen functionalities. The sterically crowded and highly basic tris(1-pyrazolyl)borate (Tp) ligand of the ruthenium catalyst might account for its high selectivity toward 1,2-diketone rather than 1,3-diketone.