Rhodium-Catalyzed Acylation of Vinylsilanes with Acid Anhydrides: Application to the Transformation of (alpha)-Acyloxy Vinylsilanes to Unsymmetrical 1,2-Diketones

Acylation of vinylsilanes with acid anhydrides is catalyzed by [RhCl(CO)2]2 to give (alpha),(beta)-unsaturated ketones. The application of this catalytic system to the acylation of (alpha)-acyloxy vinylsilanes affords (alpha)-acyloxy enones in good yields, which are converted to unsymmetrical 1,2-diketones or their mono acetals.