The alkoxy–alkoxycarbonylation of allenes

Abstract

Allene undergoes alkoxy–alkoxycarbonylation under exceedingly mild conditions (CO–O₂–MeOH–PdCl₂–CuCl₂, 0 °C, 1 atm) affording methyl 2-methoxymethylacrylate in good yield; in the case of 1,1-disubstituted allenes the reaction is regiospecific although the product yields are lower.