Direct Synthesis of 5-Aryl Barbituric Acids by Rhodium(II)-Catalyzed Reactions of Arenes with Diazo Compounds

A commercially available rhodium(II) complex catalyzes the direct arylation of 5-diazobarbituric acids with arenes, allowing straightforward access to 5-aryl barbituric acids. Free N-H groups are tolerated on the barbituric acid, with no complications arising from N-H insertion processes. This method was applied to the concise synthesis of a potent matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor.