Rhodium catalyzed template-assisted distal -C-H olefination.

Rhodium catalysis has been extensively used for -C-H functionalization reactions, and successfully extended to -C-H functionalization. Its application to -C-H activation remains an unmet challenge. Herein we disclose the first example of such a reaction, with the Rh-catalyzed -C-H olefination of arenes. The use of a Si-linked cyanobiphenyl unit as a traceless directing group leads to highly -selective arene-olefin couplings.