Speciation and Reactivity of Mono- and Binuclear Ni Intermediates in Aminoquinoline-Directed C-H Arylation and Benzylation

This paper describes detailed organometallic studies of the aminoquinoline-directed Ni-catalyzed C-H functionalization of 2,3,4,5-tetrafluoro-N-(quinolin-8-yl)benzamide with diaryliodonium reagents. A combination of 19F NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography is used to track and characterize diamagnetic and paramagnetic intermediates throughout this transformation. These provide key insights into both the cyclometalation and oxidative functionalization steps of the catalytic cycle. The reaction conditions (solvent, ligands, base, and stoichiometry) play a central role in the observation of a NiII precyclometalation intermediate as well as in the speciation of the NiII products of C-H activation. Both mono- and binuclear cyclometalated NiII species are observed and interconvert, depending on the reaction conditions. Cyclic voltammetry reveals that the NiII/III redox potentials for the cyclometalated intermediates vary by more than 700 mV depending on their coordination environments, and these differences are reflected in their relative reactivity with diaryliodonium oxidants. The oxidative functionalization reaction affords a mixture of arylated and solvent functionalization organic products, depending on the conditions and solvent. For example, conducting oxidation in toluene leads to the preferential formation of the benzylated product. A series of experiments implicate a NiII/III/IV pathway for this transformation.

Nickel-Catalyzed Lactamization Reaction of 2-Arylanilines with CO2

Transition-metal-catalyzed lactamization and lactonization of C-H bonds with CO2 assisted by the chelation of amino or hydroxyl groups have been developed but limited to the use of precious metal catalysts such as palladium and rhodium. In this work, we report the nonprecious metal nickel-catalyzed lactamization reaction of 2-arylanilines with CO2 under redox-neutral conditions via C-H bond activation. The reaction displayed excellent functional group tolerance, providing various phenanthridinones with moderate to high yields.

Recent Advances in the Nickel-Catalyzed Alkylation of C-H Bonds

Functionalization of C-H bonds has emerged as a powerful strategy for converting inert, nonfunctional C-H bonds into their reactive counterparts. A wide range of C-H bond functionalization reactions has become possible by the catalysis of metals, typically from the second row of transition metals. First-row transition metals can also catalyze C-H functionalization, and they have the merits of greater earth-abundance, lower cost and better environmental friendliness in comparison to their second-row counterparts. C-H bond alkylation is a particularly important C-H functionalization reaction due to its chemical significance and its applications in natural product synthesis. This review covers Ni-catalyzed C-H bond alkylation reactions using alkyl halides and olefins as alkyl sources.

Nickel-Catalyzed Atroposelective C-H Alkylation Enabled by Bimetallic Catalysis with Air-Stable Heteroatom-Substituted Secondary Phosphine Oxide Preligands

The catalytic asymmetric construction of axially chiral C-N atropisomers remains a formidable challenge due to their low rotational barriers and is largely reliant on toxic, cost-intensive, and precious metal catalysts. In sharp contrast, we herein describe the first nickel-catalyzed atroposelective C-H alkylation for the construction of C-N axially chiral compounds with the aid of a chiral heteroatom-substituted secondary phosphine oxide (HASPO)-ligated Ni-Al bimetallic catalyst. A wide range of alkenes, including terminal and internal alkenes, were well compatible with the reaction, providing a variety of benzimidazole derivatives in high yields and enantioselectivities (up to 97:3 e.r.). The key to success was the identification of novel HASPOs as highly effective chiral preligands. Mechanistic studies revealed the catalyst mode of action, and in-depth data science analysis elucidated the key features of the responsible chiral preligands in controlling the enantioselectivity.

A visible-light-induced bromine radical initiates direct C-H alkylation of heteroaromatics

Herein, a photoinduced direct C(sp2)-H alkylation of N-heteroaromatics by using commercially available tetrabutylammonium tribromide (TBATB) as a HAT reagent is described. The method uses O2 as the oxidant, and features metal-free, mild reaction conditions and good functional group compatibility.

Oxidative Nickel-Catalyzed ortho-C-H Amination of (Iso)quinolines with Alicyclic Amines Directed by a Sacrificial N-Oxide Group

Transition metal (TM)-catalyzed direct amination of C-H bonds on free or fused pyridine (Py) rings with free amines still remains scarce because amines and the Py ring tend to adopt a nonproductive N-bound coordination with many TMs, leading to a significant decrease of catalytic reactivity. We herein disclose a nickel-catalyzed and a sacrificial N-oxide group directed oxidative coupling of (iso)quinolyl C-H bonds and alicyclic amines, which furnishes bioimportant amino(iso)quinolines efficiently and selectively in a single step. Noteworthy, this protocol avoids the use of aggressive reactants and very strong bases usually required when aminating on nonoxidized Py rings.

Organo-Photoredox Catalyzed C(sp3 )-H Bond Arylation of Aliphatic Amides

A C(sp3 )-H bond arylation of aliphatic amides has been achieved via organophotoredox catalysis. The reaction could be realized at room temperature with visible light source and metal-free catalyst. Quinuclidine is employed as an efficient HAT reagent and a range of aliphatic amides is employed as both substrate and solvent in the reaction. This photocatalyzed transformation provides a convenient protocol to afford a board range of N-benzyl amides.

Scrutinizing formally NiIV centers through the lenses of core spectroscopy, molecular orbital theory, and valence bond theory

Nickel K- and L2,3-edge X-ray absorption spectra (XAS) are discussed for 16 complexes and complex ions with nickel centers spanning a range of formal oxidation states from II to IV. K-edge XAS alone is shown to be an ambiguous metric of physical oxidation state for these Ni complexes. Meanwhile, L2,3-edge XAS reveals that the physical d-counts of the formally NiIV compounds measured lie well above the d6 count implied by the oxidation state formalism. The generality of this phenomenon is explored computationally by scrutinizing 8 additional complexes. The extreme case of NiF62- is considered using high-level molecular orbital approaches as well as advanced valence bond methods. The emergent electronic structure picture reveals that even highly electronegative F-donors are incapable of supporting a physical d6 NiIV center. The reactivity of NiIV complexes is then discussed, highlighting the dominant role of the ligands in this chemistry over that of the metal centers.

A Redox Transmetalation Step in Nickel-Catalyzed C-C Coupling Reactions

Ni-catalyzed C-H functionalization reactions are becoming efficient routes to access a variety of functionalized arenes, yet the mechanisms of these catalytic C-C coupling reactions are not well understood. Here, we report the catalytic and stoichiometric arylation reactions of a nickel(II) metallacycle. Treatment of this species with silver(I)-aryl complexes results in facile arylation, consistent with a redox transmetalation step. Additionally, treatment with electrophilic coupling partners generates C-C and C-S bonds. We anticipate that this redox transmetalation step may be relevant to other coupling reactions that employ silver salts as additives.

Redox-neutral C-H annulation strategies for the synthesis of heterocycles via high-valent Cp*Co(III) catalysis

A variety of biologically active molecules, pharmaceuticals, and natural products consist of a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic backbone. The majority of them are isoquinolones, indoles, isoquinolines, etc.; thereby the synthesis and derivatization of such heterocycles are synthetically very relevant. Also, certain naphthol derivatives have high synthetic utility as agrochemicals and in dye industries. Previous approaches have utilized ruthenium, rhodium, or iridium which may not be desirable due to the high toxicity, low abundance, and high cost of such 4d and 5d metals. Moreover, the need for an external oxidant during the reaction also adds by-products to the system. A high-valent cobalt-catalyzed redox-neutral C-H functionalization strategy has emerged to be a far better alternative in this regard. The use of the non-noble metal cobalt allows for selectivity and specificity in product formation. Also, the redox-neutral concept avoids the use of an external oxidant either due to the presence of a metal in a non-variable oxidation state throughout the catalytic cycle or due to the presence of an oxidizing directing group or an oxidizing coupling partner. Such an oxidizing directing group not only directs the catalyst to a specific reaction site by chelation but also regenerates the catalyst at the end of the cycle. Certain bonds such as N-O, N-N, N-Cl, N-S, and C-S are the main game-players behind the oxidizing property of such directing groups. In the other case, the directing group only chelates the catalyst to a reaction center, whereas the oxidation is carried out by the upcoming group/coupling partner. Overall, merging the redox-neutral concept with the high-valent cobalt catalysis is paving the way forward toward a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach. This review critically describes the mechanistic understanding, scope, limitations, and synthesis of various biologically relevant heterocycles via the redox-neutral concept in the high-valent Cp*Co(III)-catalyzed C-H functionalization chemistry domain.

Comprehensive Theoretical Study of Cp*IrIII-Catalyzed Intermolecular Enantioselective Allylic C-H Amidation: Reaction Mechanism, Electronic Processes, and Regioselectivity

Density functional theory was used to elucidate the reaction mechanism of Cp*Ir^III-catalyzed intermolecular regioselective C(sp³)-H amidation of alkenes with methyl dioxazolones. All substrates, intermediates, and transition states were fully optimized at the ωB97XD/6-31G(d,p) level (LANL2DZ(f) for Ir). The computational results revealed that this amidation occurred through the Ir^III/Ir^V catalytic cycle, involving four important elementary steps: C-H bond activation, oxidative addition of methyl dioxazolone, reductive elimination, and proto-demetalation, and the first was the rate-determining step. The C-H bond activation showed good α- and branch-regioselectivity, decided by the distortion energy of 2-pentene and the interaction energy of the transition state, respectively. The oxidative addition of dioxazolone occurred in one elementary step with CO₂ disassociation. The reductive elimination showed good branch-regioselectivity determined by the distorted energy of the allyl group. In the proto-demetalation, hydrogen directly transferred from the oxygen atom to the nitrogen atom. Moreover, to clarify the effect of the substituted groups, selected 12 substrates were also discussed in this text.

Ni(ii) immobilized on poly(guanidine-triazine-sulfonamide) (PGTSA/Ni): a mesoporous nanocatalyst for synthesis of imines

Mesoporous materials have been the subject of intense research regarding their unique structural and textural properties and successful applications in various fields. This study reports a novel approach for synthesizing a novel porous polymer stabilizer through condensation polymerization in which Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ MNPs) are used as hard templates. Using this method allowed the facile and fast removal of the template and mesopores formation following the Fe₃O₄ MNPs. Different techniques were performed to characterize the structure of the polymer. Based on the obtained results, the obtained mesoporous polymeric network was multi-layered and consisted of repeating units of sulfonamide, triazine, and guanidine as a novel heterogeneous multifunctional support. Afterward, the new nickel organometallic complex was supported on its inner surface using the porous poly sulfonamide triazine guanidine (PGTSA/Ni). In this process, the obtained PGTSA/Ni nanocomposite was used as a heterogeneous catalyst in the synthesis of imines from amines. Since this reaction has an acceptorless dehydrogenation pathway, the hydrogen gas is released as its by-product. The synthesized nanocatalyst was structurally confirmed using different characterization modalities, including FT-IR, SEM, XRD, EDX, TEM, elemental mapping, ICP-AES, BET, and TGA. In addition, all products were obtained in high turnover frequency (TOF) and turnover number (TON). The corresponding results revealed the high selectivity and activity of the prepared catalyst through these coupling reactions. Overall, the synthesized nanocatalyst is useable for eight cycles with no considerable catalytic efficiency loss.

Switching the Reactivity of the Nickel-Catalyzed Reaction of 2-Pyridones with Alkynes: Easy Access to Polyaryl/Polyalkyl Quinolinones

A Ni-catalyzed C6 followed by C5 cascade C-H activation/[2 + 2 + 2] annulation of 2-pyridone with alkynes has been achieved. A change in the reaction pathway was achieved by tuning the reaction conditions and incorporating a directing group. A wide variety of substrates and alkynes are amenable to this transformation. The key to success for this transformation is the use of sodium iodide as an additive. More importantly, we detected the five-membered metallacycle intermediate through HRMS wherein iodide is ligated to the metal.

Late-stage ortho-C-H alkenylation of 2-arylindazoles in aqueous medium by Manganese(i)-catalysis

Earth-abundant and water-tolerant manganese(i) catalyzed alkenylation of 2-arylindazole with alkyl and aryl alkynes through C–H bond activation is described with a unique level of E-selectivity. The reaction proceeds through the control of C3 nucleophilicity of 2-aryl indazoles. This method is applied to the late-stage functionalization of complex molecules including ethinylestradiol, norethisterone, and N-protected amino acid derivatives. The kinetic isotope studies suggest that the C–H bond activation step may not be the rate-determining step.

Earth-abundant and water-tolerant manganese(i) catalyzed alkenylation of 2-arylindazole with alkyl and aryl alkynes through C–H bond activation is described with a unique level of E-selectivity.

Theoretical Study of N-H σ-Bond Activation by Nickel(0) Complex: Reaction Mechanism, Electronic Processes, and Prediction of Better Ligand

N-H σ-bond activation of alkylamine by Ni(PCy₃) was investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. When simple alkylamine NHMe₂ is a reactant, both concerted oxidative addition in Ni(PCy₃)(NHMe₂) and ligand-to-ligand H transfer reaction in Ni(PCy₃)(C₂H₄)(NHMe₂) are endergonic and need a high activation energy. When NH(Me)(Bs) (Bs = SO₂Ph, a model of tosyl group used in experiments) is a reactant, both reactions are exergonic and occur easily with a much smaller activation energy. The much larger reactivity of NH(Me)(Bs) than that of NHMe₂ results from the stronger Ni-N(Me)(Bs) bond than the Ni-NMe₂ bond and the presence of the Ni-O bonding interaction between the Bs group and the Ni atom in the product. N-Heterocyclic carbene, 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (IPr), is computationally predicted to be better than PCy₃ because the Ni-NMe₂ and Ni-N(Me)(Bs) bonds in the IPr complex are stronger, respectively, than those of the PCy₃ complex. The introduction of the electron-withdrawing Bs group to the N atom of amine and the use of IPr as a ligand are recommended for the N-H σ-bond activation. The C-H σ-bond activations of benzene via the oxidative addition and the ligand-to-ligand H transfer reaction were also investigated here for comparison with the N-H σ-bond activation. The differences between the C-H σ-bond activation of benzene and the N-H σ-bond activation of these amines are discussed in terms of the N-H, C-H, Ni-Ph, and Ni-NMe₂, and Ni-N(Me)(Bs) bond energies and back-donation to benzene from the Ni atom.

Transition metal catalysed direct sulfanylation of unreactive C-H bonds: an overview of the last two decades

Transition metal catalysed direct sulfanylations of unreactive C-H bonds have become a unique and straightforward synthetic strategy in late-stage C-S bond formation of relevant complex molecules. Such transformations have represented...

Recent advances in non-noble metal-based oxide materials as heterogeneous catalysts for C–H activation

This perspective article summarizes the recent developments of non-noble metal-based oxides, as a new class of catalysts for C−H bond activation, focusing on their essential surface properties.

Recent advances on non-precious metal-catalyzed C-H functionalization of N-heteroarenes

N-Heteroarenes are widely used for numerous medicinal applications, lifesaving drugs and show utmost importance as intermediates in chemical synthesis. This feature article highlights the recent advances, from 2015 to August 2021, on sp² and sp³ C-H bond functionalization reactions of various N-heteroarenes catalyzed by non-precious transition metals (Mn, Co, Fe, Ni, etc.). The salient features of the report are: (i) the development of newer catalysis for Csp²-H activation of N-heteroarenes and categorized into alkylation, alkenylation, borylation, cyanation, and annulation reactions, (ii) recent advances on Csp³-H bond functionalization of N-heteroarenes considering newer approaches for alkylation as well as alkenylation processes, and (iii) synthetic applications and practical utility of the catalytic protocols utilized for late-stage drug development; (iv) scope for the development of newer catalytic protocols along with mechanistic studies and detail mechanistic findings of various important processes.

Synthesis and Photophysical Study of Heteropolycyclic and Carbazole Motif: Nickel-Catalyzed Chelate-Assisted Cascade C-H Activations/Annulations

Herein, nickel-catalyzed synthesis of polyarylcarbazole through sequential C-H bond activations has been described. Regioselective indole C2/C3 functionalization has been achieved in the presence of indole C7-H, which is quite challenging. In addition, this approach also gives easy access to building a heteropolycyclic motif through C6/C7 C-H functionalization of indoline. This methodology is not limited to aromatic internal alkynes as coupling partners; aliphatic alkynes have also shown good tolerance. Notably, during the optimization the catalytic enhancement with sodium iodide as an additive has been observed. We have also studied the photophysical properties of these highly conjugated molecules.

Applications of Nickel(II) Compounds in Organic Synthesis

This review article summarizes the applications of nickel(II) compounds in organic synthesis since 2016. In recent years, the field of nickel(II) catalysis is gaining considerable interest due to readily available, low-cost nickel(II)-compounds and several key properties of nickel. This review article is organized by the reaction type, although some reactions can be placed in multiple sections.

Ni(0)-promoted activation of Csp2 -H and Csp2 -O bonds

A dinickel(0)-N2 complex, stabilized with a rigid acridane-based PNP pincer ligand, was studied for its ability to activate C(sp2)-H and C(sp2)-O bonds. Stabilized by a Ni-μ-N2-Na+ interaction, it activates C-H bonds of unfunctionalized arenes, affording nickel-aryl and nickel-hydride products. Concomitantly, two sodium cations get reduced to Na(0), which was identified and quantified by several methods. Our experimental results, including product analysis and kinetic measurements, strongly suggest that this C(sp2)-H activation does not follow the typical oxidative addition mechanism occurring at a low-valent single metal centre. Instead, via a bimolecular pathway, two powerfully reducing nickel ions cooperatively activate an arene C-H bond and concomitantly reduce two Lewis acidic alkali metals under ambient conditions. As a novel synthetic protocol, nickel(ii)-aryl species were directly synthesized from nickel(ii) precursors in benzene or toluene with excess Na under ambient conditions. Furthermore, when the dinickel(0)-N2 complex is accessed via reduction of the nickel(ii)-phenyl species, the resulting phenyl anion deprotonates a C-H bond of glyme or 15-crown-5 leading to C-O bond cleavage, which produces vinyl ether. The dinickel(0)-N2 species then cleaves the C(sp2)-O bond of vinyl ether to produce a nickel(ii)-vinyl complex. These results may provide a new strategy for the activation of C-H and C-O bonds mediated by a low valent nickel ion supported by a structurally rigidified ligand scaffold.

Recent Strategies for Carbon-Halogen Bond Formation Using Nickel

Nickel catalysis has demonstrated the capability of performing a broad range of synthetically challenging transformations over the last decade. Though recent literature has focused on the formation of C-C and C-N bonds, a variety of breakthroughs in the field of C-X bond generation have also been reported. A diverse range of strategies using nickel have been developed, in an effort to expand the scope and synthetic utility of these halogenation methods. This Minireview will cover six emerging strategies in this field including: oxidatively induced C-X reductive elimination, triflate-to-halogen exchange reactions, directed C-H halogenation, non-directed electrophilic C-H halogenation of arenes, enantioselective α-fluorination of carbonyl containing compounds, and 1,2-difunctionalization-halogenation reactions. The final section has been split into two parts: nickel-catalyzed hydrohalogenation and nickel-catalyzed carbohalogenation reactions.

One to Find Them All: A General Route to Ni(I)-Phenolate Species

The past 20 years have seen an extensive implementation of nickel in homogeneous catalysis through the development of unique reactivity not easily achievable by using noble transition metals. Many catalytic cycles propose Ni(I) complexes as potential reactive intermediates, yet the scarcity of nickel(I) precursors and the lack of a general, non-ligand-specific protocol for their synthesis have hampered progress in this field of research. This has in turn also limited the access to novel, well-defined Ni(I) species for the development of new catalytic reactions. Herein, we report a simple, general route to access a wide variety of Ni(I)-phenolate complexes via an unusual example of an olefinic Ni(I) complex, [Ni(COD)(OPh*)] (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene, OPh* = O(^tBu)₃C₆H₂). This route has proven to be highly efficient for several coordination numbers and ligand classes enabling access to the following complexes: [Ni(IPr)(OPh*)] (IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene), [Ni(dcype)(OPh*)] (dcype = 1,2-bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)ethane), [Ni(dppe)(OPh*)] (dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane), and [Ni(terpy)(OPh*)] (terpy = 2,2':6',2″-terpyridine). Moreover, reacting [Ni(dcype)(OPh*)] with trimethylsilyl triflate has led to the isolation of a unique example of a cationic binuclear Ni(I)-arene complex. All these complexes have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray, DFT, and EPR analyses, thus providing crucial experimental and theoretical information about their coordination environment and confirming a d⁹ electronic structure for all complexes involved. Overall, this new synthetic approach offers exciting opportunities for the discovery of new stoichiometric and catalytic reactivity as well as the mechanistic elucidation of Ni-based catalytic cycles.

Traceless Directing Groups in Sustainable Metal-Catalyzed C–H Activation

Sustainable transformations towards the production of valuable chemicals constantly attract interest, both in terms of academic and applied research. C–H activation has long been scrutinized in this regard, given that it offers a straightforward pathway to prepare compounds of great significance. In this context, directing groups (DG) have paved the way for chemical transformations that had not been achievable using traditional reactions. Few steps, high yields, selectivity and activation of inert substrates are some of the invaluable assets of directed catalysis. Additionally, the employment of traceless directing groups (TDG) greatly improves and simplifies this strategy, enabling the realization of multi-step reactions in one-pot, cascade procedures. Cheap, abundant, readily available transition metal salts and complexes can catalyze a plethora of reactions employing TDGs, usually under low catalyst loadings—rarely under stoichiometric amounts, leading in greater atom economy and milder conditions with increased yields and step-economy. This review article summarizes all the work done on TDG-assisted catalysis with manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, or copper catalysts, and discusses the structure-activity relationships observed, by presenting the catalytic pathways and range of transformations reported thus far.

H2 and carbon-heteroatom bond activation mediated by polarized heterobimetallic complexes

The field of heterobimetallic chemistry has rapidly expanded over the last decade. In addition to their interesting structural features, heterobimetallic structures have been found to facilitate a range of stoichiometric bond activations and catalytic processes. The accompanying review summarizes advances in this area since January of 2010. The review encompasses well-characterized heterobimetallic complexes, with a particular focus on mechanistic details surrounding their reactivity applications.

Organic Electrochemistry: Molecular Syntheses with Potential

Efficient and selective molecular syntheses are paramount to inter alia biomolecular chemistry and material sciences as well as for practitioners in chemical, agrochemical, and pharmaceutical industries. Organic electrosynthesis has undergone a considerable renaissance and has thus in recent years emerged as an increasingly viable platform for the sustainable molecular assembly. In stark contrast to early strategies by innate reactivity, electrochemistry was recently merged with modern concepts of organic synthesis, such as transition-metal-catalyzed transformations for inter alia C-H functionalization and asymmetric catalysis. Herein, we highlight the unique potential of organic electrosynthesis for sustainable synthesis and catalysis, showcasing key aspects of exceptional selectivities, the synergism with photocatalysis, or dual electrocatalysis, and novel mechanisms in metallaelectrocatalysis until February of 2021.

A comprehensive insight into aldehyde deformylation: mechanistic implications from biology and chemistry

Aldehyde deformylation is an important reaction in biology, organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry and the process has been widely applied and utilized. For instance, in biology, the aldehyde deformylation reaction has wide differences in biological function, whereby cyanobacteria convert aldehydes into alkanes or alkenes, which are used as natural products for, e.g., defense mechanisms. By contrast, the cytochromes P450 catalyse the biosynthesis of hormones, such as estrogen, through an aldehyde deformylation reaction step. In organic chemistry, the aldehyde deformylation reaction is a common process for replacing functional groups on a molecule, and as such, many different synthetic methods and procedures have been reported that involve an aldehyde deformylation step. In bioinorganic chemistry, a variety of metal(iii)-peroxo complexes have been synthesized as biomimetic models and shown to react efficiently with aldehydes through deformylation reactions. This review paper provides an overview of the various aldehyde deformylation reactions in organic chemistry, biology and biomimetic model systems, and shows a broad range of different chemical reaction mechanisms for this process. Although a nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl centre is the consensus reaction mechanism, several examples of an alternative electrophilic reaction mechanism starting with hydrogen atom abstraction have been reported as well. There is still much to learn and to discover on aldehyde deformylation reactions, as deciphered in this review paper.

Nickel-Catalyzed [4 + 2] Annulation of Nitriles and Benzylamines by C-H/N-H Activation

Nickel-catalyzed [4 + 2] annulation of benzylamines and nitriles via C-H/N-H bond activation, providing straightforward atom-economic access to a wide variety of multisubstituted quinazolines, is reported. Mechanistic investigation revealed that the in situ formed amidines from the coupling of benzylamines and nitriles direct the nickel catalyst to activate the ortho-C-H bond of the phenyl ring of the benzylamine.

Recent advances in pincer-nickel catalyzed reactions

Organometallic catalysts have played a key role in accomplishing numerous synthetically valuable organic transformations that are either otherwise not possible or inefficient. The use of precious, sparse and toxic 4d and 5d metals are an apparent downside of several such catalytic systems despite their immense success over the last several decades. The use of complexes containing Earth-abundant, inexpensive and less hazardous 3d metals, such as nickel, as catalysts for organic transformations has been an emerging field in recent times. In particular, the versatile nature of the corresponding pincer-metal complexes, which offers great control of their reactivity via countless variations, has garnered great interest among organometallic chemists who are looking for greener and cheaper alternatives. In this context, the current review attempts to provide a glimpse of recent developments in the chemistry of pincer-nickel catalyzed reactions. Notably, there have been examples of pincer-nickel catalyzed reactions involving two electron changes via purely organometallic mechanisms that are strikingly similar to those observed with heavier Pd and Pt analogues. On the other hand, there have been distinct differences where the pincer-nickel complexes catalyze single-electron radical reactions. The applicability of pincer-nickel complexes in catalyzing cross-coupling reactions, oxidation reactions, (de)hydrogenation reactions, dehydrogenative coupling, hydrosilylation, hydroboration, C-H activation and carbon dioxide functionalization has been reviewed here from synthesis and mechanistic points of view. The flurry of global pincer-nickel related activities offer promising avenues in catalyzing synthetically valuable organic transformations.

Nickel-catalyzed formation of quaternary carbon centers using tertiary alkyl electrophiles

This review provides a comprehensive summary of recent advances in nickel-catalyzed reactions employing tertiary alkyl electrophiles for the construction of quaternary carbon centers.

Ni/NHC catalysis in C–H functionalization using air-tolerant nickelocene and sodium formate for in situ catalyst generation

A facile method for Ni/NHC catalyzed C–H alkylation and alkenylation of heteroarenes with alkenes and internal alkynes using air-tolerant nickelocene, sodium formate and NHC·HCl salts for in situ catalyst generation has been developed.

Directing group strategies in catalytic sp2 C–H cyanations: scope, mechanism and limitations

Directing group strategy in transition metal catalyzed sp² C–H bond cyanation has contributed to the direct conversion of hydrocarbons to cyano-containing compounds. Recent developments in transition metal-mediated sp² C–H bond cyanation using this strategy are reviewed.

Adsorption of methane on single metal atoms supported on graphene: Role of electron back-donation in binding and activation

We consider single metal atoms supported on graphene as possible candidate systems for on-board vehicular storage of methane or for methane activation. We use density functional theory to study the adsorption of one and two molecules of methane on such graphene-supported single atoms, where the metal atom M is a 3d-transition metal (Sc to Zn). Our results suggest that M = Sc, Ti, and V are the best candidates for gas storage applications, while Ni and Co seem particularly promising with respect to activation of the C-H bond in methane. We find a strong and linear correlation between the adsorption energy of methane and the degree of back-donation of electrons from occupied metal d-states to antibonding methane states. A similar correlation is found between the elongation of C-H bonds and electron back-donation. An important role is played by the graphene substrate in enhancing the binding of methane on metal atoms, compared to the negligible binding observed on isolated metal atoms.

Theoretical Insight into Ni(0)-Catalyzed Hydroarylation of Alkenes and Arylboronic Acids

The density functional theory (ωB97XD functional) is employed to clarify nickel(0)/P^tBu₃-catalyzed hydroarylation of alkenes and arylboronic acids with methanol. The computational results reveal that this reaction goes primarily through the ligand-to-ligand H transfer from the O-H bond to the alkene coordinated with nickel, complexation of arylboronic acid to the nickel-alkyl-methoxyl intermediate, attack of methoxyl on boron, transmetalation, and reductive elimination. The formation of the branched 1,1-diarylalkane, linear 1,1-diarylalkane, and alkene-dimer is also discussed in this work.

Ni-Catalyzed Direct Carboxylation of an Unactivated C-H Bond with CO2

The transition-metal-catalyzed direct carboxylation of an unactivated C-H bond is rarely reported, and no example of catalysis using abundant and cheap nickel has been reported. In this work, the first Ni-catalyzed direct carboxylation of an unactivated C-H bond under an atmospheric pressure of CO₂ is reported. This method affords moderate to high carboxylation yields of various methyl carboxylates under mild conditions. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal that a Ni(0)-Ni(II)-Ni(I) catalytic cycle may be involved in this reaction.