Silver(I)-Catalyzed Synthesis of β-Oxopropylcarbamates from Propargylic Alcohols and CO2 Surrogate: A Gas-Free Process.

The utilization of carbon dioxide poses major challenges owing to its high thermodynamic stability and kinetic inertness. To circumvent these problems, a simple reaction system is reported comprising ammonium carbamates as carbon dioxide surrogates, propargylic alcohols, and a silver(I) catalyst, for the effective conversion of a wide range of alcohols and secondary amines into the corresponding β-oxopropylcarbamates. A key feature of this strategy includes quantitative use of a carbon resource with high product yields under gas-free and mild reaction conditions. Notably, this catalytic protocol also works well for the carboxylative cyclization of propargylic amines and carbon dioxide surrogates to afford 2-oxazolidinones.