Iterative protecting group-free cross-coupling leading to chiral multiply arylated structures.

The Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling is one of the most often utilized reactions in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds and conjugated materials. In its most common form, the reaction joins two sp(2)-functionalized carbon atoms to make a biaryl or diene/polyene unit. These substructures are widely found in natural products and small molecules and thus the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling has been proposed as the key reaction for the automated assembly of such molecules, using protecting group chemistry to affect iterative coupling.

Rhodium(III)-catalyzed intermolecular hydroarylation of alkynes.

The rhodium(III)-catalyzed hydroarylation of internal alkynes is described. Good yields are obtained for a variety of alkynes, and excellent regioselectivity is observed for unsymmetrically substituted alkynes. The reaction also gives good yields for a range of arenes.