Ruthenium-catalyzed site-selective C-H allylation of aryl ketones using Morita-Baylis-Hillman alcohols: access to α-benzyl acrylates.

Ru-catalyzed weak-chelation-assisted site-selective C-H allylation of aryl ketones has been accomplished with MBH alcohols to furnish α-benzyl acrylates. Substrate scope, functional group tolerance, and late-stage diversification to substituted indanes and benzo-fused seven membered cyclic β-diketones are the practical features.