Selectivity control in alkylidene carbene-mediated C-H insertion and allene formation.

Regioselectivity of alkylidene carbene-mediated C-H insertion was explored utilizing electronic, conformational, steric, and stereoelectronic effects. Relying on these factors, highly regio- and chemoselective carbene insertion reaction of C-H bonds in different environments could be obtained. The observed selectivity clearly indicates that an electronic effect plays a more important role than steric effect. In general, C-H bonds in conformationally rigid cyclic environments are less reactive than those in acyclic systems toward carbene insertion, and in this situation, a competing intermolecular reaction between alkylidene carbene and trimethylsilyldiazomethane led to the formation of allenylsilanes. The formation of allenylsilane becomes more favorable as the concentration of reaction becomes higher, as well as the C-H bonds undergoing insertion becomes electronically and conformationally deactivated.