Diverse strategies toward indenol and fulvene derivatives: Rh-catalyzed C-H activation of aryl ketones followed by coupling with internal alkynes.

The synthesis of indenols and fulvenes was achieved through Rh-catalyzed C-H bond activation of simple and diverse aryl ketone derivatives and subsequent coupling with internal alkynes. The process was found to involve either an α or γ dehydration step, depending on the substrate disposition and representing diverse pathways toward functionalized fulvenes.