Thanks for bring this reaction to light. I had no idea about this potentially useful regent and its cycloaddition reaction.
Does this reaction require a catalyst (such as copper or platinum) to proceed? such catalysts were mentioned in some literature
Would the RCH2: radical react with cyclopropane to form a cyclobutane derivitive? Does anyone know, or have opinions about this?
One revealing reaction:
Ketene CH2=C=O reacts with diazomethane, at (minus) -70degC, to first form cyclopropanone, and then reacts further with more diazomethane to form cyclobutanone (which boils at 98-100degC).
Kaarsemaker (1951)So it would appear that ethyl diazoacetate, which is a derivitive of diazomethane, could react with cause cyclopropanone to undergo a ring expansion to the cyclobutanone, but the question is would this work with plain cyclopropane? Any opinions?
http://www.novasep.com/technologies/diazomethane.aspin a somewhat related reaction, apparently diazomethane can be reacted with acetylene to produce pyrazole