Free-amine-directed Ru(II)-catalyzed peri-selective C-H activation and annulation via ring-strain release

Key Points

• The aim is to explore Ru(II)-catalyzed C-H activation and annulation for synthesizing medium-sized lactams.
• Utilized Ru(II) as a catalyst for the peri-selective C-H activation.
• Annulated α-naphthylamines with alkylidene β-lactones and β-lactams.
• Examined the regioselectivity influenced by free amine directing groups.
• Successfully produced diverse tricyclic naphtho-fused medium-sized lactams.
• Achieved high regioselectivity dependent on the directing amine group.
• Demonstrated rapid synthesis compared to traditional methods.