Ruthenium-Catalyzed Hydroarylation and One-Pot Twofold Unsymmetrical C-H Functionalization of Arenes.

A methyl phenyl sulfoximine (MPS) is used as a directing group in the ruthenium-catalyzed intramolecular hydroarylation of alkene-tethered benzoic acid derivatives to afford dihydrobenzofurans and indolines in good to excellent yields. A one-pot, unsymmetrical, twofold C-H functionalization involving intramolecular C-C and intermolecular C-C/C-N bond formations is successfully demonstrated by using a single set of catalytic reaction conditions, which is unprecedented thus far. A novel isoquinolone-bearing dihydrobenzofuran is constructed through an unsymmetrical twofold C-H functionalization.