Rhodium-catalyzed Oxidative Coupling of Benzylamines with Alkynes through Dehydrogenation and Dehydrogenative Cyclization

Oxidative coupling of benzylamines with internal alkynes accompanied by dehydrogenation and dehydrogenative cyclization proceeds efficiently under rhodium catalysis to selectively give the corresponding 3,4-substituted isoquinoline derivatives. The procedure is also applicable to the reactions of (1-naphthylmethyl)amine with diaryl- and dialkylacetylenes to construct benzo[h]isoquinoline and benzo[e]isoindole frameworks, respectively.