Construction of Hexahydrophenanthrenes By Rhodium(I)‐Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of Benzylallene‐Substituted Internal Alkynes through C−H Activation

Abstract

The treatment of benzylallene-substituted internal alkynes with [RhCl(CO)2 ]2 effects a novel cycloisomerization by C(sp(2) )-H bond activation to produce hexahydrophenanthrene derivatives. The reaction likely proceeds through consecutive formation of a rhodabicyclo[4.3.0] intermediate, σ-bond metathesis between the C(sp(2) )-H bond on the benzene ring and the C(sp(2) )-Rh(III) bond, and isomerization between three σ-, π-, and σ-allylrhodium(III) species, which was proposed based on experiments with deuterated substrates.