N-Heterocyclic carbene mediated Reformatsky reaction of aldehydes with α-trimethylsilylcarbonyl compounds

N-Heterocyclic carbenes have been employed as highly efficient organocatalysts to mediate silyl-Reformatsky type reaction. In the presence of only 0.5 mol % nucleophilic carbene 1, various aldehydes coupled with α-trimethylsilylethylacetate very smoothly in DMF at room temperature to provide the corresponding β-hydroxyesters in moderate to high yields. α-Trimethylsilylketone and α-trimethylsilylamide can also undergo the addition reaction to give β-hydroxyketone and β-hydroxyamide in moderate yields.

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