Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed [4+2] Annulation via C-H Activation: Synthesis of Multi-Substituted Naphthalenone Sulfoxonium Ylides

α-Carbonyl sulfoxonium ylides in transition metal-catalyzed C-H activation: a safe carbene precursor and a weak directing group

Transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling of sp² C-H bonds with diazo compounds via carbene migratory insertion represents an efficient strategy for the construction of C-C and C-heteroatom bonds in organic synthesis. Despite the popularity of diazo compounds as coupling partners in C-H activation, they pose serious safety and stability issues due to potential exothermic reactions linked with the release of N₂ gas. However, compared with diazo compounds, sulfoxonium ylides are generally crystalline solids, more stable, widely used in industrial scales, and easier/safer to prepare. Therefore, recent years have witnessed an upsurge in employing α-carbonyl sulfoxonium ylides as an alternative carbene surrogate in transition metal-catalyzed C-H activation. Unlike diazo compounds, α-carbonyl sulfoxonium ylides contain inherent potential to serve as a coupling partner as well as a weak directing group. This review will summarize the progress made in both categories of reactions.

Recent Strategies in Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Sequential C–H Activation/Annulation for One-Step Construction of Functionalized Indazole Derivatives

Designing new synthetic strategies for indazoles is a prominent topic in contemporary research. The transition-metal-catalyzed C–H activation/annulation sequence has arisen as a favorable tool to construct functionalized indazole derivatives with improved tolerance in medicinal applications, functional flexibility, and structural complexity. In the current review article, we aim to outline and summarize the most common synthetic protocols to use in the synthesis of target indazoles via a transition-metal-catalyzed C–H activation/annulation sequence for the one-step synthesis of functionalized indazole derivatives. We categorized the text according to the metal salts used in the reactions. Some metal salts were used as catalysts, and others may have been used as oxidants and/or for the activation of precatalysts. The roles of some metal salts in the corresponding reaction mechanisms have not been identified. It can be expected that the current synopsis will provide accessible practical guidance to colleagues interested in the subject.

Rh(III)-Catalyzed [5 + 1] Annulation of Indole-enaminones with Diazo Compounds To Form Highly Functionalized Carbazoles

A novel Rh(III)-catalyzed C-H activation/annulation cascade of indole-enaminones with diazo compounds was reported to construct diversely functionalized carbazole frameworks. The most notable characteristic is that this transformation could smoothly furnish a novel [5 + 1] cyclization product with good to excellent yields (up to 95%), accompanied by the thorough removal of acetyl and N,N-dimethyl groups of two substrates from the target products, rather than the normally expected [4 + 2] cyclization products.

A Rh(iii)-catalyzed C–H activation/regiospecific annulation cascade of benzoic acids with propargyl acetates to unusual 3-alkylidene-isochromanones

We developed a new approach to synthesize isochromanones with benzoic acids and propargyl acetates, which introducing an unusual exocyclic C–C double bond at the 3-position with high regioselectivity and moderate to excellent yields.

Rh(III)-Catalyzed C–H Bond Activation for the Construction of Heterocycles with sp3-Carbon Centers

Rh(III)-catalyzed C–H activation features mild reaction conditions, good functional group tolerance, high reaction efficiency, and regioselectivity. Recently, it has attracted tremendous attention and has been employed to synthesize various heterocycles, such as indoles, isoquinolines, isoquinolones, pyrroles, pyridines, and polyheterocycles, which are important privileged structures in biological molecules, natural products, and agrochemicals. In this short review, we attempt to present an overview of recent advances in Rh(III)-mediated C–H bond activation to generate diverse heterocyclic scaffolds with sp3 carbon centers.

Synthesis of 1-naphthols via Cp*Co(iii)-catalyzed C–H activation and cyclization of sulfoxonium ylides with alkynes

A highly practical synthesis of 1-naphthols was developed via Cp*Co(iii)-catalyzed C–H activation and cyclization between sulfoxonium ylides and alkynes.