Ortho alkylation of aromatic ketimine with functionalized alkene by Rh(I) catalyst.

[reaction: see text] The reaction of the imine of aromatic ketones with functionalized alkenes was performed under a catalytic amount of (PPh3)3RhCl, and corresponding ortho-alkylated ketones were obtained after hydrolysis. A variety of functional groups in the alkene were tolerated in this ortho alkylation. This procedure expands the scope of ortho alkylation to the direct ortho functionalization of aromatic ketones.

Chelation-assisted hydrative dimerization of 1-alkyne forming alpha,beta-enones by an Rh(I) catalyst.

The intermolecular hydrative dimerization of 1-alkyne was developed through the chelation-assisted catalytic system with Rh(I)/2-amino-3-picoline. This novel transformation afforded branched and linear alpha,beta-enones directly from two 1-alkyne molecules and H2O. The results demonstrate that a branch/linear ratio can be controlled by the alkyl substituent of 1-alkyne.