Arylation of Rhodium(II) Azavinyl Carbenes with Boronic Acids

A highly efficient and stereoselective arylation of in situ-generated azavinyl carbenes affording enamines at ambient temperatures has been developed. These transition-metal carbenes are directly produced from readily available and stable 1-sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles in the presence of a rhodium carboxylate catalyst. In several cases, the enamines generated in this reaction can be cyclized into substituted indoles employing copper catalysis.