Efficient Rhodium-Catalyzed Multicomponent Reaction for the Synthesis of Novel Propargylamines

[{Rh(μ-Cl)(H)2 (IPr)}2 ] (IPr = 1,3-bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazole-2-ylidene) was found to be an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of novel propargylamines by a one-pot three-component reaction between primary arylamines, aliphatic aldehydes, and triisopropylsilylacetylene. This methodology offers an efficient synthetic pathway for the preparation of secondary propargylamines derived from aliphatic aldehydes. The reactivity of [{Rh(μ-Cl)(H)2 (IPr)}2 ] with amines and aldehydes was studied, leading to the identification of complexes [RhCl(CO)IPr(MesNH2 )] (MesNH2 = 2,4,6-trimethylaniline) and [RhCl(CO)2 IPr]. The latter shows a very low catalytic activity while the former brought about reaction rates similar to those obtained with [{Rh(μ-Cl)(H)2 (IPr)}2 ]. Besides, complex [RhCl(CO)IPr(MesNH2 )] reacts with an excess of amine and aldehyde to give [RhCl(CO)IPr{MesNCHCH2 CH(CH3 )2 }], which was postulated as the active species. A mechanism that clarifies the scarcely studied catalytic cycle of A3 -coupling reactions is proposed based on reactivity studies and DFT calculations.