A novel method for the efficient synthesis of methyl 2-oxo-2-arylacetates and its application to the preparation of fungicidal methyl (E)-O-methyloximino-2-arylacetates and their (Z)-stereoisomers
Methyl 2-oxo-2-arylacetates 1, which include some fluorinated compounds, have been synthesized in moderate to excellent yields by reaction of methyl oxalyl chloride with arylzinc halides in the presence of Pd(PPh3)4. The highest yields have been obtained when these reactions involved arylzinc bromides which were prepared by conversion of the corresponding aryl bromides to organolithiums, followed by