Hegui Gong

Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Aryl Halides with Secondary Alkyl Bromides and Allylic Acetate

A room-temperature Ni-catalyzed reductive method for the coupling of aryl bromides with secondary alkyl bromides has been developed, providing C(sp(2))-C(sp(3)) products in good to excellent yields. Slight modification of this protocol allows efficient coupling of activated aryl chlorides with cyclohexyl bromide and aryl bromides with allylic acetate.

Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Cross-Coupling of Unactivated Alkyl Halides

A Ni-catalyzed reductive approach to the cross-coupling of two unactivated alkyl halides has been successfully developed. The reaction works efficiently for primary and secondary halides, with at least one being bromide. The mild reaction conditions allow for excellent functional group tolerance and provide the C(sp(3))-C(sp(3)) coupling products in moderate to excellent yields.

Nickel-catalyzed reductive coupling of alkyl halides with other electrophiles: concept and mechanistic considerations

The formation of C–C bonds directly by catalytic reductive cross-coupling of two different electrophiles represents one of the practical synthetic protocols that differs from the conventional nucleophile/electrophile coupling methods. Particularly the reductive coupling of alkyl electrophiles with other electrophiles is still a challenge. This report summarizes the advances in the formation of C(sp3)–C(sp3) bonds between two alkyl electrophiles, with emphasis on the control of chemoselectivity that is exceedingly challenging to achieve due to similar structures and reactivities of two unactivated alkyl halides. The coupling of alkyl halides with aryl or acyl electrophiles was also discussed based on the chemical approach developed by our group, followed by a brief overview of the reactions of tertiary alkyl halides. In the end, a brief overview of the challenges in this exciting field was illustrated. Whereas the reaction mechanisms generating alkyl–alkyl products are proposed to involve reactions of Ni(I) species with alkyl halides to generate Ralkyl–Ni(III)–Ralkyl intermediates through a radical/Ni cage-rebound process, the obtained evidence seemingly supports that the radical chain mechanism governs the acylation and arylation of alkyl halides. The latter features a cage-escaped alkyl radical.

Sn-Free Ni-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Glycosyl Bromides with Activated Alkenes

A mild, stereoselective method for the Ni-catalyzed synthesis of alpha-C-alkylglycosides is reported. This approach entails the reductive coupling of glycosyl bromides with activated alkenes at room temperature, with low alkene loading as an important feature. Diastereoselective coupling with 2-substituted acrylate derivatives was made possible through the use of 2,4-dimethyl-3-pentanol as a proton source.

Ni-catalyzed reductive coupling of alkyl acids with unactivated tertiary alkyl and glycosyl halides.

This work highlights Ni-catalyzed reductive coupling of alkyl acids with alkyl halides, particularly sterically hindered unactivated tertiary alkyl bromides for the production of all carbon quaternary ketones. The reductive strategy is applicable to α-selective synthesis of saturated, fully oxygenated C-acyl glycosides through easy manipulations of the readily available sugar bromides and alkyl acids, avoiding otherwise difficult multistep conversions. Initial mechanistic studies suggest that a radical chain mechanism (cycle B, Scheme 1) may be plausible, wherein MgCl2 promotes the reduction of Ni(II) complexes.

Ketone Formation via Mild Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Alkyl Halides with Aryl Acid Chlorides

The present work highlights unprecedented Ni-catalyzed reductive coupling of unactivated alkyl iodides with aryl acid chlorides to efficiently generate alkyl aryl ketones under mild conditions.

Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Aryl Bromides with Tertiary Alkyl Halides

A mild Ni-catalyzed reductive arylation of tertiary alkyl halides with aryl bromides has been developed that delivers products bearing all-carbon quaternary centers in moderate to excellent yields with excellent functional group tolerance. Electron-deficient arenes are generally more effective in inhibiting alkyl isomerization. The reactions proceed successfully with pyridine or 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine, while imidazolium salts slightly enhance the coupling efficiency.

Ni-Catalyzed Reductive Allylation of Unactivated Alkyl Halides with Allylic Carbonates

Game of two electrophiles: Two partially positively charged sp(3) carbon atoms can be connected by using a catalytic Ni species in the presence of an environmentally benign Zn reductant, delivering allylated alkanes. This unprecedented approach allowed a variety of unactivated alkyl halides and substituted allylic carbonates to regioselectively afford E-alkenes in good to excellent yields.

Nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling of unactivated alkyl halides using bis(pinacolato)diboron as reductant

The use of bis(pinacolato)diboron as the terminal reductant allows the efficient Ni-catalyzed coupling of unactivated secondary and primary alkyl halides, generating the C(sp3)–C(sp3) coupling products in good yields. The mild catalytic conditions display excellent functional group tolerance, and good chemoselectivities which require only 1.5 equiv. of primary bromides for the coupling with secondary bromides. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that an in situ organoborane/Suzuki process is not likely. It was identified that the base and ligand have more profound impact on selecting this reductive coupling pathway. The good chemoselectivity appears to be evoked by the formation of Ni–Bpin catalytic intermediates, which demands matched sizes and reactivities of the alkyl halide coupling partners for optimal coupling efficiency.

Mild ketone formation via Ni-catalyzed reductive coupling of unactivated alkyl halides with acid anhydrides

Ni-catalyzed ketone formation through mild reductive coupling of a diverse set of unactivated alkyl bromides and iodides with particularly aryl acid anhydrides was successfully developed using zinc as the terminal reductant. These conditions also allow direct coupling of alkyl iodides with aryl acids in the presence of Boc(2)O and MgCl(2).