Rhodium(iii)-catalyzed C-C coupling of 7-azaindoles with vinyl acetates and allyl acetatesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5ob02096d

The behaviour of electron-rich alkenes with 7-azaindoles in rhodium( iii )-catalyzed C-H activation is investigated. Various substituted vinyl acetates and allyl acetates as coupling partners reacted smoothly providing a wide variety of 7-azaindole derivatives, and the selectivity of the coupling reaction is alkene-dependent. In addition, the approaches of rhodium( iii )-catalyzed dehydrogenative Heck-type reaction (DHR) and carbonylation reaction were quite novel and simple. The behaviour of electron-rich alkenes with 7-azaindoles in rhodium( iii )-catalyzed C-H activation is investigated.