Phosphabarrelene-modified Rh-catalysts: a new and selective route towards hydroxy-functionalized bicyclic imidazoles via tandem reactions.

8-Hydroxy-6-methyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine was formed selectively in high yields from N-(beta-methallyl)imidazole by a tandem hydroformylation-cyclization sequence, representing a novel one-pot catalytic synthesis of bicyclic imidazole derivatives.