Exploring a unique reactivity of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) in rhodium(iii)-catalyzed intermolecular C–H activation/annulation

• DOI: 10.1039/c4cc07170k
• Publication Date: 2014-10-14T12:05:45Z
• Authors: Debasish Ghorai; Joyanta Choudhury
• Keywords: Annulation; Reactivity

Disclosed herein is the unique conjugative role of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands as a directing group in aromatic C-H activation, coupled with facile NHC-alkenyl annulative reductive elimination which guided Rh(III)-catalyzed intermolecular annulations imidazolium salts and alkynes under ambient conditions leading to structurally important imidazo[1,2-a]quinolinium motifs.