Silver-Catalyzed Cyclopropanation of Alkenes Using N-Nosylhydrazones as Diazo Surrogates

An efficient silver-catalyzed [2 + 1] cyclopropanation of sterically hindered internal alkenes with diazo compounds in which room temperature-decomposable N-nosylhydrazones are used as diazo surrogates is reported. The unexpected unique catalytic activity of silver was ascribed to its dual role as a Lewis acid activating alkene substrates and as a transition metal forming silver carbenoids. A wide range of internal alkenes, including challenging diarylethenes, were suitable for this protocol, thereby affording a variety of cyclopropanes with high efficiency in a stereoselective manner under mild conditions.