Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Conjugate Addition of β-CF3-Enones with Quinoline N-Oxides.

The site-selective incorporation of a trifluoromethyl group into biologically active molecules and pharmaceuticals has emerged as a central topic in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. Herein, we demonstrate the rhodium(III)-catalyzed conjugate addition of β-trifluoromethylated enones with quinoline N-oxides, which result in the generation of β-trifluoromethyl-β'-quinolinated ketones. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions with complete functional group tolerance. The synthetic applicability was showcased by successful gram-scale experiments and valuable synthetic transformations of coupling products.