Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are important structural motifs in organic chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry and materials science. The development of a new synthetic strategy toward these compounds is described based on the design principle of iron(III)-catalyzed carbonyl-olefin metathesis reactions. This approach is characterized by its operational simplicity, high functional group compatibility, and regioselectivity while relying on FeCl3 as an environmentally benign, earth-abundant metal catalyst. Experimental evidence for oxetanes as reactive intermediates in the catalytic carbonyl-olefin ring-closing metathesis has been obtained.

Catalytic carbonyl-olefin metathesis reactions have recently been developed as a powerful tool for carbon-carbon bond formation. However, currently available synthetic protocols rely exclusively on aryl ketone substrates while the corresponding aliphatic analogs remain elusive. We herein report the development of Lewis acid-catalyzed carbonyl-olefin ring-closing metathesis reactions for aliphatic ketones. Mechanistic investigations are consistent with a distinct mode of activation relying on the in situ formation of a homobimetallic singly bridged iron(III)-dimer as the postulated active catalytic species. These "superelectrophiles" function as more powerful Lewis acid catalysts that form upon association of individual iron(III)-monomers. While this mode of Lewis acid activation has previously been postulated to exist, it has not yet been applied in a catalytic setting. The insights presented are expected to enable further advancement in Lewis acid catalysis by building upon the activation principle of "superelectrophiles" and to broaden the current scope of catalytic carbonyl-olefin metathesis reactions.

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Transannular carbonyl-olefin metathesis reactions complement existing procedures for related ring-closing, ring-opening, and intermolecular carbonyl-olefin metathesis. This enables molecular editing of steroid-derived frameworks.