Rhodium-catalyzed Heck-type reaction of arylboronic acids with α,β-unsaturated esters: tuning β-hydrogen elimination vs.hydrolysis of alkylrhodium species

Abstract

The elusive rhodium-catalyzed Heck-type coupling of arylboronic acids with α,β-unsaturated esters is effected using rhodium chloride as catalyst, indicating the hydrolysis of Rh–C bond could be finely tuned by the steric environment around rhodium.