Di-tert-butyl dicarbonate: a versatile carboxylating reagent

Carbon nucleophiles generated by a non-nucleophilic base (LDA) were effectively trapped with di-tert-butyl dicarbonate (Boc-anhydride) to provide the corresponding tert-butyl aryl acetates, di-tert-butyl aryl malonates, unsymmetrical aryl malonates and tert-butyl benzoates in high yields. This reaction represents another useful way to prepare a variety of tert-butyl carboxylates and highlights the synthetic utility of di-tert-butyl dicarbonate as a versatile carboxylating reagent.