Rhodium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Oxidative [3+2] Annulation of Arenes and Azabicyclic Olefins through Twofold C-H Activation.

C-H bond activation is mostly limited to ortho selectivity. Activation of both ortho and meta C-H bonds constitutes a particularly important strategy for annulation, but has rarely been studied in enantioselective systems. Reported herein is rhodium(III)-catalyzed asymmetric [3+2] transannulation of arenes with 7-azabenzonorbornadienes. Two distinct classes of arenes have been identified as substrates, and the coupling proceeded with high enantioselectivity and excellent diastereoselectivity through sequential activation of ortho and meta C-H bonds.