Patent ID: 7109343

Claim:
A method of producing a compound having the formula: where R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are independently selected from H, alkyl, aryl, or vinyl or where R 1 and R 3 , together with the atoms to which they are bonded, form a 5–12 membered ring; Y is an electron withdrawing group; X is CH 2 , O, or NR 11 ; R 11 is H, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, or a silyl group having the formula —SiR 33 R 34 R 35 ; each of R 30 and R 31 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, aryl, and vinyl; R 32 is an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, or a silyl group having the formula —SiR 36 R 37 R 38 ; or R 31 and R 32 , together with the atoms to which they are bonded, form a 5–12 membered ring; R 33 , R 34 , R 35 , R 36 , R 37 and R 38 are independently selected from an alkyl group and an aryl group; provided that when each of R 30 and R 31 is H, X is not CH 2 , said method comprising: providing a diazo compound having the formula: and converting the diazo compound with a compound having the formula: in the presence of a bis-transition metal catalyst and under conditions effective to produce the compound, wherein X′ is CH 2 , O, or NR 11′ and R 11′ is an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, or a silyl group, provided that when X is O or CH 2 , when R 1 and R 3 , together with the atoms to which they are bonded, form a 5–12 membered ring, and when R 31 and R 32 , together with the atoms to which they are bonded, form a 5–12 membered ring, said converting is carried out substantially in the absence of oxygen.