Three-Component Catalytic Carboxygenation of Activated Alkenes Enabled by Bimetallic Rh(III)/Cu(II) Catalysis

A novel cascade Cp*Rh­(III)-catalyzed
C–H alkylation/Cu­(II)-promoted
α-oxygenation which enabled a three-component carboxygenation
of activated alkene is reported. Mild reaction conditions, broad substrate
scope, and good functional group tolerance were observed. The synthetic
utility of the protocol was showcased by the facile transformations
of the product to a variety of structurally diverse molecules. Preliminary
mechanistic studies were conducted.