What Types of Reactions do Singlet Carbenes Catalyze?
Singlet carbenes are involved in several key reactions: 1. Cyclopropanation: Singlet carbenes add to alkenes to form cyclopropanes, which are important building blocks in organic synthesis. 2. C-H Insertion: They can insert into C-H bonds, enabling the formation of new C-C bonds in a regio- and stereoselective manner. 3. Ylide Formation: Singlet carbenes react with phosphines to form ylides, which are intermediates in the Wittig reaction for alkene synthesis. 4. Olefin Metathesis: Some metal-carbene complexes can catalyze the rearrangement of carbon atoms in alkenes.
