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Updated: Nov 5, 2025

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
Published on: November 21, 2017
Rh-Catalyzed cascade C-H activation/C-C cleavage/cyclization of carboxylic acids with cyclopropanols
Siqi Wang1, Erfei Miao1, Hao Wang1
1CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China. huangwei@simm.ac.cn yweibo@simm.ac.cn and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
Abstract:
Merging both C-H and C-C activation in a tandem process is a marked challenge. A novel Rh(iii)-catalyzed C-H activation/ring opening C-C cleavage/cyclization of carboxylic acids with cyclopropanols was developed for the synthesis of 3-substituted phthalides and α,β-butenolides. This reaction displays excellent functional group tolerance with respect to both carboxylic acids and cyclopropanols and features relatively mild conditions. Remarkably, the utility of this method was highlighted by the rapid construction of bioactive compounds bearing a 3-substituted phthalide framework via late-stage functionalization.
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