Retro‐Claisen Condensation with Fe III as Catalyst under Solvent‐Free Conditions

An iron(III) salt catalyzed retro‐Claisen condensation between an alcohol and a 1,3‐diketone was investigated. The mechanism involves the formation of a metal‐induced six‐membered cyclic transition state and cleavage of the C –C bond. Regioselective esterification and one‐pot conversion of silyl ethers into esters with good yields was observed. Simple reaction conditions, high yields, and broad scope of the reaction illustrate the good synthetic utility of this method.