Room-Temperature Selective Aliphatic Carbon–Carbon Bond Activation and Functionalization of Ethers by Rhodium(II) Porphyrin

Abstract

Selective aliphatic carbon(α)–carbon(β) bond activation of ethers by (5,10,15,20-tetramesitylporphyrinato)rhodium(II) (Rh(tmp) (1)) was achieved at room temperature to yield corresponding rhodium porphyrin alkyls and the functionalized esters. Rh(tmp)OH was the proposed intermediate responsible for cleaving the C(α)–C(β) bond. The reaction is general for both straight- and branch-chain ethers.