Catalytic Asymmetric Intramolecular Homologation of Ketones with α‐Diazoesters: Synthesis of Cyclic α‐Aryl/Alkyl β‐Ketoesters

A catalytic asymmetric intramolecular homologation of simple ketones with α‐diazoesters was firstly accomplished with a chiral N,N′‐dioxide–Sc(OTf) 3 complex. This method provides an efficient access to chiral cyclic α‐aryl/alkyl β‐ketoesters containing an all‐carbon quaternary stereocenter. Under mild conditions, a variety of aryl‐ and alkyl‐substituted ketone groups reacted with α‐diazoester groups smoothly through an intramolecular addition/rearrangement process, producing the β‐ketoesters in high yield and enantiomeric excess.