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It all adds up: Straightforward access to 2-alkyl-substituted 1,3-diketones is provided by a regioselective addition of aldehydes to enones catalyzed by the ruthenium hydride catalyst [RuHCl(CO)(PPh3)3] (see scheme). The reaction involves a hydrometalation of the enone to form a metal enolate, a cross-aldol reaction to form an alkoxymetal species, and a subsequent β-metal hydride elimination.
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Fukuyama et al. (2007) studied this question.
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