RhCl(PPh₃)₃/DPPF: A useful and efficient catalyst for cross-coupling reactions of activated alkenyl tosylates with arylboronic acids

A useful and effective rhodium catalyst system - [RhCl(PPh ₃)₃/DPPF] - for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of activated alkenyl tosylates is described. The results not only represent the first examples of the rhodium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of activated alkenyl tosylates with arylboronic acids under mild conditions, but also provide an efficient route for the synthesis of some natural product-like compounds, such as furan-2(5H)-one, coumarin, pyrone, and quinolin-2(1H)-one derivatives.