Rhenium- and aniline-catalyzed one-pot annulation of aromatic ketones and α,β-unsaturated esters initiated by C-H bond activation

(Chemical Equation Presented) Several reaction steps, including C-H activation, lead to indene derivatives in good yields in the rhenium-catalyzed reaction of aromatic ketimines and ethyl acrylate. Indene derivatives can also be obtained by the reactions of aromatic ketones with α,β-unsaturated esters in the presence of a catalytic rhenium complex and p-anisidine (see scheme).