A Rh-Catalyzed Air and Moisture Tolerable Aldehyde (Ketone)-Directed Fluorosulfonylvinylation of Aryl C( sp2)-H Bonds.

The first Rh-catalyzed activation of ortho sp2 C-H bonds of aldehydes (ketones) for monoselective coupling with ethenesulfonyl fluoride was accomplished without covalent or transient preinstallation of imines. The 42 examples revealed that the developed method has the advantage of a wide scope and functional-group tolerability. Application of this method for complicated natural product modification was also accomplished.