Copper‐Catalyzed Decarboxylative Hydrophosphinylation of α‐Acyl‐α‐Diazoacetates

A simple copper‐catalyzed decarboxylation–denitrogenation C–P coupling reaction of α‐acyl‐α‐diazoacetates with hydrophosphoryl compounds is reported. The reaction may proceed via a process involving the generation of (diazomethyl)ketones after hydrolysis in the presence of water and the hydrophosphinylation of the copper carbene intermediates. This finding may suggest the potential use of the relatively more readily available α‐acyl‐α‐diazoacetates as replacement of (diazomethyl)ketones in some cases.