The direct addition of ortho C–H bonds in various aromatic compounds such as ketones, esters, imines, imidates, nitriles, and aldehydes to olefins and acetylenes can be achieved with the aid of transition metal catalysts. The ruthenium catalyzed reaction is usually highly efficient and useful as a general synthetic method. The coordination to the metal center by a heteroatom in a directing group such as carbonyl and imino groups in aromatic compounds is the key step in this process. Mechanistically, the reductive elimination to form a C–C bond is the rate-determining step, while the C–H bond cleavage step is not.

(Communicated by Ryoji NOYORI, M.J.A.)