Nickel-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Double Carboxylation of Trimethylsilylallene under an Atmosphere of Carbon Dioxide and Its Application to the Synthesis of Chaetomellic Acid A Anhydride

In the presence of a nickel catalyst and excess amounts of DBU and Me2Zn, various 1-trimethylsilylallenes smoothly reacted with two equivalents of carbon dioxide at an ambient temperature and pressure in regio- and stereoselective manners to provide 1-trimethylsilylprop-1-ene-2,3-dioic acid derivatives. A short total synthesis of chaetomellic acid A anhydride was achieved using this method.