Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed C–H Activation of α‑Iminonitriles or α‑Imino Esters and Cyclization with Acrylates to 2H‑Isoindoles

Rh­(III) catalysts have played increasingly important roles in the activation of C–H bonds to build heterocyclic scaffolds. However, there are few reports on the more challenging synthesis of pharmaceutically important 2H-isoindoles and fused 2H-isoindoles. The process reported herein is an effective strategy to produce 2H-isoindole or fused 2H-isoindole derivatives via a Rh­(III)-catalyzed transformation of α-iminonitriles or α-imino esters with acrylates.