The unprecedented C(sp(3))-C(sp(3)) bond cleavage of unactivated cyclopentane has been achieved. Rh(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition of allenylcyclopentane-alkynes produced in situ the 9-cyclopentyl-8-rhodabicyclo[4.3.0]nona-1,6-diene intermediates, which subsequently underwent [7+2] cycloaddition via β-C elimination, affording bicyclo[7.4.0]tridecatriene derivatives in good yields. Changing the Rh(I) catalyst effected the Cγ-H bond activation of the common 9-cyclopentyl-8-rhodabicyclo[4.3.0]nona-1,6-diene intermediate to produce the novel spiro[2.4]heptane skeleton in a site-selective manner.

The first synthesis of all four stereoisomers of 1,3,5,7-tetrahydroxy-1,3,5,7-tetraisopropylcyclotetrasiloxane, [i-PrSiO(OH)]4 (all-trans-, cis-cis-trans-, cis-trans-cis-, and all-cis-1), is presented. The starting compounds, all-trans-, cis-cis-trans-, cis-trans-cis-, and all-cis-1,3,5,7-tetraaryl-1,3,5,7-tetraisopropylcyclotetrasiloxanes, were prepared by the hydrolysis of the corresponding arylisopropyldichlorosilanes, i-PrArSiCl2 (Ar = Ph, p-tolyl), and subsequent separation of isomers. A combination of dephenylchlorination of tetraarylcyclotetrasiloxanes and the following hydrolysis proved to be an efficient method for the stereospecific transformation of aryl-substituted cyclotetrasiloxanes into (i-PrSiO(OH))4. For example, treatment of cis-trans-cis-1,3,5,7-tetraphenyl-1,3,5,7-tetraisopropylcyclotetrasilane with HCl and AlCl3, followed by hydrolysis in the presence of pyridine, resulted in the exclusive formation of cis-trans-cis-1 in 92% yield. The structures of cis-cis-trans-1, cis-trans-cis-1, and all-cis-1 were determined by X-ray crystallography. All isomers were found to construct unique packing structures by intermolecular hydrogen bonding; cis-trans-cis-1 composed an infinite antiladder structure, and cis-cis-trans-1 formed a sheetlike structure.

The efficient Rh(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of benzylallene-alkynes produced the tricyclo[9.4.0.0(3,8)]pentadecapentaene skeleton through a C(sp2)-H bond activation in good yields. A plausible reaction mechanism proceeds via oxidative addition of the acetylenic C-H bond to Rh(I), an ene-type cyclization to the vinylidenecarbene-Rh(I) intermediate, and an electrophilic aromatic substitution with the vinylidenecarbene species. It was proposed based on deuteration and competition experiments.

The RhI‐catalyzed intramolecular [5+2–2]‐type cycloisomerization of allene–allenylcyclopropanes was developed. In this reaction, ethylene was liberated from the cyclopropane ring to afford the 1,5,6,7‐tetrahydroazulene skeletons.

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.