Regioselective ketone α-alkylation with simple olefins via dual activation

Carbon-carbon bonds without byproducts Environmental and cost concerns are spurring development of chemical methods that minimize byproduct formation. In this vein, Mo and Dong present a catalyst that inserts olefins such as ethylene directly into the C-H bonds of ketones. Traditional methods to form such products rely on the preliminary reaction of the ketone with a base, followed by subsequent reaction with an alkyl halide. The authors used a ligand that simultaneously activates the ketone and guides the catalytic rhodium to the right location. This approach removes the need for the other reagents and eliminates the associated halide salt byproducts. Science , this issue p. 68