Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed\nRegioselective C–H Alkenylation\nand Alkylation of Menadione Analogues with β‑Trifluoromethyl\nEnones

Menadione and its structural analogues\nare important\nmotifs present\nin various bioactive natural products and drugs with a wide range\nof biological activities. In addition, β-trifluoromethyl enone\nhas been employed as an efficient fluorinated building block for the\nsynthesis of CF<sub>3</sub>-containing organic scaffolds. Herein,\nwe report both C–H alkenylation and C–H alkylation reactions\nusing β-CF<sub>3</sub> enones as coupling partners with amino-substituted\nmenadiones under Rh(III) catalysis. While β-CF<sub>3</sub> enones\nhave been studied in C–H alkylation reactions, we herein for the first time disclose the\nRh (III)-catalyzed C–H alkenylation reaction of β-CF<sub>3</sub> enones. The presence of an oxidant was crucial for the alkenylation\nreaction with β-CF<sub>3</sub> enone. Meanwhile, the alkylation\nreaction proceeds via redox-neutral conditions.