Polyfunctionalization of vicinal carbon centers and synthesis of unsymmetric 1,2,3,4-tetracarbonyl compounds

Abstract

The synthesis of polycarbonyl compounds featuring four or more carbonyl groups is a synthetic challenge for organic chemists. Here, the authors describe how unsymmetric polycarbonyl compounds bearing up to 4 adjacent carbonyl groups can be accessed within a two-step synthesis from readily available starting materials and discuss their reactivity.