http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acscatal.5b02414

Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Coupling of Arenes with Cyclopropanols via C–H Activation and Ring Opening

Xukai Zhou, Songjie Yu, Lingheng Kong, and Xingwei Li^*

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China

ACS Catal., 2016, 6, pp 647–651

DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.5b02414

Publication Date (Web): December 21, 2015

Copyright © 2015 American Chemical Society

*E-mail: xwli@dicp.ac.cn.

Abstract

Rhodium-catalyzed C–H activation of arenes has been established as an important strategy for the rapid construction of new bonds. On the other hand, ring-opening of readily available cyclopropanols has served as a driving force for the coupling with various nucleophiles and electrophiles. Nevertheless, these two important areas evolved separately, and coupling of arenes with cyclopropanols via C–H activation has been rarely explored. In this work, the oxidative coupling between arenes and cyclopropanols has been realized with high efficiency and selectivity under Rh(III)-catalysis, providing an efficient route to access β-aryl ketones. Moreover, the C–H bond has been extended to benzylic C–H bonds.