Traceless Rhodium-Catalyzed Hydroacylation Using Alkyl Aldehydes: the Enantioselective Synthesis of Β-Aryl Ketones.

A one-pot three-step sequence involving Rh-catalyzed alkene hydroacylation, sulfide elimination and Rh-catalyzed aryl boronic acid conjugate addition gave products of traceless chelation-controlled hydroacylation employing alkyl aldehydes. The stereodefined β-aryl ketones were obtained in good yields with excellent control of enantioselectivity. Good variation of all three reaction components is possible.