Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Arylative Ring-Opening Reactions of Heterobicyclic Alkenes with Anilines

Asymmetric arylative ring-opening reactions of heterobicyclic alkenes with anilines have been reported for the first time. A wide range of heterobicyclic alkenes, including azabenzonorbornadienes and oxabenzonorbornadienes, were well tolerated in the reaction with various anilines, and they generally delivered the corresponding chiral aryltetralin derivatives in good to excellent enantioselectivities. The reaction is speculated to proceed through the Friedel–Crafts reaction pathway.