Annulation of Hydrazones and Alkynes via Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Dual C-H Activation: Synthesis of Pyrrolopyridazines and Azolopyridazines.

Hydrazones readily synthesized from N-aminopyrroles or N-aminoazoles and aldehydes undergo Rh(III)-catalyzed dual C-H activation and coupling with aryl- and alkyl-substituted alkynes to give pyrrolopyridazines or azolopyridazines, respectively. This transformation represents a rare example of hydrazoyl C-H activation and proceeds without heteroatom functionality to direct C-H activation. Hydrazones derived from aromatic, alkenyl, and aliphatic aldehydes were effective inputs, and tethering the alkyne to the hydrazone enabled annulations to more complex, tricyclic products.