Hypervalent iodine(III)-mediated oxidative decarboxylation of β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids.

A novel oxidative decarboxylation of β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids mediated by hypervalent iodine(III) reagents is described. The decarboxylative C-O bond forming reaction proceeded in the presence of PhI(OAc)2 to give the corresponding allylic acetates. In addition, decarboxylative C-N bond formation was achieved by utilizing hypervalent iodine(III) reagents containing an I-N bond. Mechanistic studies suggest the unique reactivity of hypervalent iodine reagents in this ionic oxidative decarboxylation.