Highly chemoselective 2,4,5-triaryl-1,3-dioxolane formation from intermolecular 1,3-dipolar addition of carbonyl ylide with aryl aldehydes.

[reaction: see text] Rhodium(II) acetate catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of methyl phenyldiazoacetate with a mixture of electron-rich and electron-deficient aryl aldehydes gave 1,3-dioxolanes in high yield with excellent chemoselectivity.