LAUSR

Abstract An unprecedented Rh(III)-catalyzed C–H activation of N-(pivaloyloxy)benzamide was recently reported by Feng et al. In this transformation, the substituent on the alkyne controls the chemoselectivity (annulation or hydroarylation). Given the importance of this novel strategy, we performed a density functional theory study to clarify the origins of the experimentally observed chemoselectivity. The results of our calculations showed that the conventional annulation of N-(pivaloyloxy)benzamide with an alkynone was kinetically favored, whereas the hydroarylation of α,α-difluoromethylene alkynes was kinetically favored. We found that the inductive effect of a fluorine substituent on the alkyne polarizes the Rh–C bond, and this facilitates the protonation step. Our calculations also explain the experimentally observed regioselectivity, which mainly arises from the interaction energy.