Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Synthesis of Aryl Spirocycles by Aromatic C-H Activation/Intramolecular Heck-Type Reaction

The rhodium(III)-catalyzed aromatic C-H activation/intramolecular Heck-type reaction has been studied to synthesize spirocyclic compounds, an important class of molecules in medicinal chemistry and natural product synthesis. This approach was efficient with a variety of substituted N-methoxybenzamides tethered to different cyclic alkenes having a 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring. This practical method affords sterically hindered o-substituted aryl spirocycles that are valuable compounds for further functionalization to access relevant building blocks.