Rhodium(II)-Catalyzed 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reactions

The rhodium(II)-catalyzed formation of 1,3-dipoles has played a major role in facilitating the use of the dipolar cycloaddition reaction in modern organic synthesis. This is apparent from the increasing number of applications of this chemistry for the construction of heterocyclic and natural product ring systems. This chapter initially focuses on those aspects of rhodium(II) catalysis that control dipole formation and reactivity, and concludes with a sampling of the myriad examples that exist in the literature today. As with any modern review of the chemical literature, the subject discussed in this chapter touches upon topics that are the focus of related books and articles. For example, there is a well recognized tome on the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction that is an excellent introduction to the many varieties of this transformation [1]. More specific reviews involving the use of rhodium(II) in carbonyl ylide cycloadditions [2] and intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions have also appeared [3, 4]. The use of rhodium for the creation and reaction of carbenes as electrophilic species [5, 6], their use in intramolecular carbenoid reactions [7], and the formation of ylides via the reaction with heteroatoms have also been described [8]. Reviews of rhodium(II) ligand-based chemoselectivity [9], rhodium(II)-mediated macrocyclizations [10], and asymmetric rhodium(II)–carbene transformations [11, 12] detail the multiple aspects of control and applications that make this such a powerful chemical transformation. In addition to these reviews, several books have appeared since around 1998 describing the catalytic reactions of diazo compounds [13], cycloaddition reactions in organic synthesis [14], and synthetic applications of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition [15].