Benzoic Acid Catalyzed Aldol‐Type Condensation of Aldehydes with Ethyl Diazoacetate: Highly Diastereoselective Products with Chiral Aldehydes

Benzoic acid catalyzed aldol-type condensation of aldehydes with ethyl diazoacetate (EDA) under neat conditions at room temperature to afford β-hydroxy-α-diazo carbonyl compounds in good to excellent yields is reported. Furthermore, the condensation of EDA with sugar-derived aldehydes under the same conditions afforded the adducts in excellent yields and high diastereoselectivities.