Rhodium-catalyzed acyl-transfer reaction between benzyl ketones and thioesters: synthesis of unsymmetric ketones by ketone CO-C bond cleavage and intermolecular rearrangement.

In the presence of catalytic amounts of RhH(CO)(PPh3)3 and 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)benzene (dppBz), acyl groups were transferred between benzyl ketones and thioesters/aryl esters. The rhodium complex catalyzed the cleavage of ketone CO-C bonds and intermolecular rearrangement giving unsymmetric ketones. The acyl-transfer reaction also occurred with 1-(p-chlorophenyl)-3-(p-cyanophenyl)propane-2-one giving unsymmetric ketones.