Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed Activation of C?H Bonds and Subsequent Intermolecular Amidation at Room Temperature

Disclosed herein is a Rh^III‐catalyzed chelation‐assisted activation of unreactive C H bonds, thus enabling an intermolecular amidation to provide a practical and step‐economic route to 2‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)ethanamine derivatives. Substrates with other N‐donor groups are also compatible with the amidation. This protocol proceeds at room temperature, has a relatively broad functional‐group tolerance and high selectivity, and demonstrates the potential of rhodium(III) in the promotive functionalization of unreactive C H bonds. A rhodacycle having a SbF₆⁻ counterion was identified as a plausible intermediate.     

Diaryliodoniums by Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed C?H Activation: Mild Synthesis and Diversified Functionalizations

Diaryliodonium salts play an increasingly important role as an aryl source. Reported is the first synthesis of diaryliodoniums by rhodium(III)‐catalyzed C H hyperiodination of electron‐poor arenes under chelation assistance. This C I coupling reaction occurred at room temperature with high regio‐selectivity and functional‐group compatibility. Subsequent diversified nucleophilic functionalization of a diaryliodonium allowed facile construction of C C, C N, C O, C S, C P and C Br bonds, and in all cases the initial functionalization occurred at the arene containing the chelating‐group.     

Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed C?C and C?O Coupling of Quinoline N‐Oxides with Alkynes: Combination of C?H Activation with O‐Atom Transfer

[Cp*Rh^III]‐catalyzed C H activation of arenes assisted by an oxidizing N O or N N directing group has allowed the construction of a number of hetercycles. In contrast, a polar N O bond is well‐known to undergo O‐atom transfer (OAT) to alkynes. Despite the liability of N O bonds in both C H activation and OAT, these two important areas evolved separately. In this report, [Cp*Rh^III] catalysts integrate both areas in an efficient redox‐neutral coupling of quinoline N‐oxides with alkynes to afford α‐(8‐quinolyl)acetophenones. In this process the N O bond acts as both a directing group for C H activation and as an O‐atom donor.     

Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed Activation of C?H Bonds and Subsequent Intermolecular Amidation at Room Temperature

Disclosed herein is a Rh^III‐catalyzed chelation‐assisted activation of unreactive C H bonds, thus enabling an intermolecular amidation to provide a practical and step‐economic route to 2‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)ethanamine derivatives. Substrates with other N‐donor groups are also compatible with the amidation. This protocol proceeds at room temperature, has a relatively broad functional‐group tolerance and high selectivity, and demonstrates the potential of rhodium(III) in the promotive functionalization of unreactive C H bonds. A rhodacycle having a SbF₆⁻ counterion was identified as a plausible intermediate.     

Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed Transannulation of Cyclopropenes with N‐Phenoxyacetamides through C?H Activation

An efficient rhodium(III)‐catalyzed synthesis of 2H‐chromene from N‐phenoxyacetamides and cyclopropenes has been developed. The reaction represents the first example of using cyclopropenes as a three‐carbon unit in rhodium(III)‐catalyzed C(sp²) H activations.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Radical/Radical C?H/P?H Cross‐Coupling: α‐Phosphorylation of Aryl Ketone O‐Acetyloximes

The selective radical/radical cross‐coupling of two different organic radicals is a great challenge due to the inherent activity of radicals. In this paper, a copper‐catalyzed radical/radical C H/P H cross‐coupling has been developed. It provides a radical/radical cross‐coupling in a selective manner. This work offers a simple way toward β‐ketophosphonates by oxidative coupling of aryl ketone o‐acetyloximes with phosphine oxides using CuCl as catalyst and PCy₃ as ligand in dioxane under N₂ atmosphere at 130 °C for 5 h, and yields ranging from 47 % to 86 %. The preliminary mechanistic studies by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) showed that, 1) the reduction of ketone o‐acetyloximes generates iminium radicals, which could isomerize to α‐sp³‐carbon radical species; 2) phosphorus radicals were generated from the oxidation of phosphine oxides. Various aryl ketone o‐acetyloximes and phosphine oxides were suitable for this transformation.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Isoindolones by Chiral Cyclopentadienyl‐Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed C?H Functionalizations

Directed Cp*Rh^III‐catalyzed carbon–hydrogen (C H) bond functionalizations have evolved as a powerful strategy for the construction of heterocycles. Despite their high value, the development of related asymmetric reactions is largely lagging behind due to a limited availability of robust and tunable chiral cyclopentadienyl ligands. Rhodium complexes comprising a chiral Cp ligand with an atropchiral biaryl backbone enables an asymmetric synthesis of isoindolones from arylhydroxamates and weakly alkyl donor/acceptor diazo derivatives as one‐carbon component under mild conditions. The complex guides the substrates with a high double facial selectivity yielding the chiral isoindolones in good yields and excellent enantioselectivities.     

Rhodium(I)‐Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of Benzylallene‐Alkynes through C?H Activation

The efficient Rh^I‐catalyzed cycloisomerization of benzylallene‐alkynes produced the tricyclo[9.4.0.0^3,8]pentadecapentaene skeleton through a C H bond activation in good yields. A plausible reaction mechanism proceeds via oxidative addition of the acetylenic C H bond to Rh^I, an ene‐type cyclization to the vinylidenecarbene–Rh^I intermediate, and an electrophilic aromatic substitution with the vinylidenecarbene species. It was proposed based on deuteration and competition experiments.     

Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed ortho Alkenylation of N‐Phenoxyacetamides with N‐Tosylhydrazones or Diazoesters through C?H Activation

A coupling reaction of N‐phenoxyacetamides with N‐tosylhydrazones or diazoesters through Rh^III‐catalyzed C H activation is reported. In this reaction, ortho‐alkenyl phenols were obtained in good yields and with excellent regio‐ and stereoselectivity. Rh–carbene migratory insertion is proposed as the key step in the reaction mechanism.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of Highly Substituted Polyheteroaromatic Compounds by Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed Multiple C?H Activation and Annulation

A new method for the synthesis of highly substituted naphthyridine‐based polyheteroaromatic compounds in high yields proceeds through rhodium(III)‐catalyzed multiple C H bond cleavage and C C and C N bond formation in a one‐pot process. Such highly substituted polyheteroaromatic compounds have attracted much attention because of their unique π‐conjugation, which make them suitable materials for organic semiconductors and luminescent materials. Furthermore, a possible mechanism, which involves multiple chelation‐assisted ortho C H activation, alkyne insertion, and reductive elimination, is proposed for this transformation.     

Rhodium(I)‐Catalyzed Enantioselective C?C Bond Activation

Relieving the strain : The rhodium(I)‐catalyzed activation of C C bonds in functionalized cyclobutanes opens a novel route to highly substituted carbo‐ and heterocycles. Particularly intriguing is the differentiation of enantiotopic C C bonds, which leads to the formation of highly enantiomerically enriched lactones, cyclopentanones, and cyclohexenones (see scheme).