We have developed a Rh(III)-catalyzed diastereoselective [2+1] annulation onto allylic alcohols initiated by alkenyl C-H activation of N-enoxyphthalimides to furnish substituted cyclopropylketones. Notably, the traceless oxyphthalimide handle serves three functions: directing C-H activation, oxidation of Rh(III), and, collectively with the allylic alcohol, in directing cyclopropanation to control diastereoselectivity. Allylic alcohols are shown to be highly reactive olefin coupling partners leading to a directed diastereoselective cyclopropanation reaction, providing products not accessible by other routes.

We report a three-component diamination of simple unactivated alkenes using an electrophilic nitrene source and amine nucleo­philes. The reaction provides rapid access to 1,2-vicinal diamines from terminal alkenes through a one-pot protocol. The transformation proceeds smoothly with excellent tolerance for a broad array of primary and secondary amines, affording the desired products in good yield and regioselectivity. The mechanism is proposed to proceed through a Rh(III)-catalyzed aziridination of alkenes with subsequent ring opening by primary or secondary amines.

Utilizing rhodium catalysis, aryl nucleophiles generated via carbon-carbon single bond activation successfully undergo oxidative coupling with Michael acceptors. The reaction scope encompasses a broad range of nucleophiles generated from quinolinyl ketones as well as a series of electron deficient terminal alkenes, illustrating the broad potential of intersecting carbon-carbon bond activation with synthetically useful coupling methodologies. The demonstrated oxidative coupling produces a range of cinnamyl derivatives, several of which are challenging to prepare via conventional routes.

We have developed a rhodium(III)-catalyzed cyclopropanation of unactivated olefins initiated by an alkenyl C–H activation. A variety of 1,1-disubstituted olefins undergo efficient cyclopropanation with a slight excess of alkene stoichiometry. A series of mechanistic interrogations implicate a metal carbene as an intermediate.

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