An unprecedented rhodium(III)-catalyzed regioselective redox-neutral annulation reaction of 1-naphthylamine N-oxides with diazo compounds was developed to afford various biologically important 1H-benzo[g]indolines. This coupling reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions and does not require external oxidants. The only by-products are dinitrogen and water. More significantly, this reaction represents the first example of dual functiaonalization of unactivated a primary C(sp(3) )H bond and C(sp(2) )H bond with diazocarbonyl compounds. DFT calculations revealed that an intermediate iminium is most likely involved in the catalytic cycle. Moreover, a rhodium(III)-catalyzed coupling of readily available tertiary aniline N-oxides with α-diazomalonates was also developed under external oxidant-free conditions to access various aminomandelic acid derivatives by an O-atom-transfer reaction.

A Rh(III)-catalyzed procedure for the C7-selective C-H alkylation of various indolines with α-diazo compounds at room temperature is reported. The advantages of this process are: 1) simple, mild, and pH-neutral reaction conditions, 2) broad substrate scope, 3) complete regioselectivity, 4) no need for an external oxidant, and 5) N2 as the sole byproduct. Furthermore, alkylation and bis-alkylation of carbazoles at the C1 and C8 positions have also been developed. More significantly, for the first time, a successful Ir(III)-catalyzed intermolecular insertion of arene C-H bonds into α-diazo compounds is reported.

A Rh(III)-catalyzed unsymmetrical C-H alkylation and amidation of N-phenoxyacetamides with diazo compounds has been developed under mild and redox-neutral conditions, producing dinitrogen as the only byproduct. The reaction represents the first example of one-step, unsymmetrical difunctionalization of two ortho-C-H bonds. Experimental and computational studies support that N-phenoxyacetamides most likely undergo an initial ortho-C-H alkylation with diazo compounds via a Rh(III)-catalyzed C-H activation, and the resulting Rh(III) intermediate subsequently undergoes an intramolecular oxidative addition into the O-N bond to form a Rh(V) nitrenoid species that is protonated and further directed toward electrophilic addition to the second ortho position of the phenyl ring. This work might provide a new direction for unsymmetrical C-H difunctionalization reactions in an efficient manner.