Rhodium-Catalyzed Acylation with Quinolinyl Ketones: Carbon−Carbon Single Bond Activation as the Turnover-Limiting Step of Catalysis

The rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular carboacylation of quinolinyl ketones serves as an ideal subject for the mechanistic study of carbon−carbon bond activation. Combined kinetic and NMR studies of this reaction allowed the identification of the catalytic resting state and determination of the rate law, 12C/13C kinetic isotope effects, and activation parameters. These results have identified the activation of a ketone−arene carbon−carbon single bond as the turnover-limiting step of catalysis and provided quantitative detail into this process.