Rhodium-catalyzed Heck-type reaction of arylboronic acids with (alpha),(beta)-unsaturated esters: tuning (beta)-hydrogen elimination vs. hydrolysis of alkylrhodium species

The elusive rhodium-catalyzed Heck-type coupling of arylboronic acids with (alpha),(beta)-unsaturated esters is effected using rhodium chloride as catalyst, indicating the hydrolysis of Rh–C bond could be finely tuned by the steric environment around rhodium.