The reactivity of aryl alkyl ketone with a preheated mixture of dibromomethane and diethylamine is poor and gives an alpha-methylenation product in very low yield even under refluxing condition. It can be accelerated dramatically by microwave irradiation. Under microwave condition, the cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyls, aryl alkyl ketones, heteroaryl alkyl ketones and acyclic benzyl ketone give alpha-methylenation products in modest to good yields. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Mojtahedi; Saidi; Sharifi, Journal of Chemical Research - Part S, 2000, # 8, p. 380 - 381