Aerobic Oxidative Olefination of Benzamides with Styrenes Catalyzed by a Moderately Electron-Deficient CpRh(III) Complex with a Pendant Amide.

It has been established that a newly developed moderately electron-deficient cyclopentadienyl (Cp)-Rh(III) complex, bearing ester and pendant amide moieties on the Cp ring [CpARh(III)], is able to catalyze the aerobic oxidative olefination of benzamides, bearing nonspecial carbamoyl groups, with styrenes including disubstituted ones at relatively low temperature (60-80 °C). The presence of both the ester and pendant acidic N-phenylcarbamoyl moieties on the CpA ligand play important roles in facilitation of the catalysis without sacrificing thermal stability of the complex.