[4+2] or [4+1] Annulation: Changing the Reaction Pathway of a Rhodium-Catalyzed Process by Tuning the CpLigand

Abstract

A change in reaction pathway was achieved for the first time by tuning the cyclopentadienyl (Cp) ligand used for the rhodium-catalyzed cyclization of benzamides with conjugated enynones. Depending on the Cp ligand, the reaction pathway switched between [4+2] and [4+1] annulation. Electronic effects turned out to be crucial for the product distribution. The dichotomy was attributed to the alteration of the Lewis acidity of the resultant Cp-bound rhodium species.