Abstract

Diazomethane and its derivatives react with aldehydes and ketones usually under very mild conditions to yield a variety of interesting and often useful products. The reaction is most often carried out by either allowing the carbonyl compound to react with an ethereal solution of the diazomethane derivative with or without the addition of a catalyst, or by treating a methanol solution of the carbonyl compound with a nitrosoalkylurethane in the presence of a base, Only the reactions of diazomethane and its alkyl and aryl derivatives are discussed in detail.