Rhodium-catalyzed direct aldol condensation of ketones: a facile synthesis of fused aromatic compounds

Cationic rhodium complex [Cp*Rh(eta(6)-C6H6)](BF4)(2) (1) acts as an efficient catalyst for direct aldol condensation of ketones. The method can be applied to one-pot synthesis of fused aromatic compounds from cyclic ketones via sequential C-C bond formations. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.