Rhenium-Catalyzed Insertion of Nonpolar and Polar Unsaturated Molecules into an Olefinic C-H Bond

Treatment of olefins bearing a directing group with alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, alkynes, or aldehydes in the presence of a catalytic amount of a rhenium complex, [ReBr(CO)(3)(thf)](2) gave gamma,delta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, dienes, and allyl silyl ethers, respectively. This reaction proceeds via C-H bond activation, insertion of unsaturated molecules into the formed rhenium-carbon bond, and then reductive elimination (or transmetalation in the case of aldehydes).