Expedient Synthesis of Pyrroloquinolinones by Rh-Catalyzed Annulation of N‑Carbamoyl Indolines with Alkynes through a Directed C–H Functionalization/C–N Cleavage Sequence

A Rh-catalyzed redox-neutral C–H functionalization of N-carbamoyl indolines with various internal alkynes has been developed. The reaction, which involves the sequential cleavage of the C–H bond of the indoline at the C7-position and the C–N bond of the urea motif, provides a divergent protocol to rapidly assemble fused-ring pyrrolo­quinolinone analogues by using a direct alkenylation/annulation strategy with high efficiency and selectivity.