Rhenium-Catalyzed Diastereoselective Synthesis of Aminoindanes via the Insertion of Allenes into a C-H Bond

Aminoindane derivatives were synthesized diastereoselectively by the treatment of aromatic imines with allenes in the presence of a catalytic amount of a rhenium complex, [HRe(CO)(4)](n). The allenes inserted into the aromatic C-H bonds.