Rhodium(III)-catalyzed alkenyl C-H bond functionalization: convergent synthesis of furans and pyrroles

Rh(III)-catalyzed addition of alkenyl C-H bond to isocyanates and intramolecular cyclization: direct synthesis 5-ylidenepyrrol-2(5H)-ones

The rhodium-catalyzed addition of an alkenyl C-H bond to isocyanates via sp(2) C-H bond activation followed by an intramolecular cyclization is described. This atom-economic and catalytic reaction affords a simple and straightforward access to biologically relevant 5-ylidene pyrrol-2(5H)-ones and can be carried out under mild and neutral conditions in the absence of any additives and environmentally hazardous waste production.

Rhodium(III)-catalyzed direct selective C(5)-H oxidative annulations of 2-substituted imidazoles and alkynes by double C-H activation

Double C-H activations of C(5)-H and Csp(2)-H of 2-substituted N-vinyl- or arylimidazoles were realized without heteroatom-directing assistance by rhodium(III) catalyst. A subsequent oxidative annulation reaction with alkynes efficiently produced aza-fused heterocycles with high molecular complexity in low to excellent yields.