Anti-Markovnikov Hydrofunctionalization of Olefins Mediated by Rhodium-Porphyrin Complexes

Abstract

A rationally designed mechanistic approach to anti-Markovnikov olefin hydrofunctionalization and its application to the synthesis of heterocycles are described. Porphyrin-rhodium complexes have been shown to exhibit remarkable reactivity and selectivity for each step of the proposed catalytic cycle (see scheme). A critical step of this reaction sequence is a new, facile, and remarkably general carbon-heteroatom bond-forming reductive elimination.