Fulvene Synthesis by Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed [2+2+1] Cycloaddition: Synthesis and Catalytic Activity of Tunable Cyclopentadienyl Rhodium(III) Complexes with Pendant Amides

It has been established that a RhI+/segphos complex catalyzes the [2+2+1] cycloaddition of 1,6-diynes with cyclopropylideneacetamides to give substituted fulvenes in good yields. The reductive complexation of the product fulvenes with RhCl3 in EtOH furnished the corresponding dinuclear cyclopentadienyl Rh-III complexes bearing a pendant amide moiety. These RhIII complexes were highly active catalysts for oxidative annulation and cyclization through C(sp(2))-H and C(sp(3))-H funct(i)onalization.