Using Rh(III)-catalyzed C-H activation as a tool for the selective functionalization of ketone-containing molecules.

Due to the strong potential of C-H activation in many areas of organic chemistry, the use of a pre-existing carbonyl group for the installation of a directing group to enable selective and predictable α-alkenylation with activated olefins as coupling partners is described. This Heck-type reaction would then lead either to β,γ-unsaturated ketones or to variously substituted 1,4-butadienes depending on the conditions used for the cleavage of the directing group.