Enantioselective Nickel-Catalyzed anti-Arylmetallative Cyclizations onto Acyclic Ketones

Domino reactions involving nickel-catalyzed additions of (hetero)arylboronic acids to alkynes, followed by cyclization of the alkenylnickel intermediates onto tethered acyclic ketones to give chiral tertiary-alcohol-containing products in high enantioselectivities, are described. The reversible E/Z isomerization of the alkenylnickel intermediates enables overall anti-arylmetallative cyclization to occur. The ring system of the products are substructures of certain diarylindolizidine alkaloids.

Automated summary

This study describes a novel domino reaction involving nickel-catalyzed additions of (hetero)arylboronic acids to alkynes, followed by cyclization onto acyclic ketones to yield chiral tertiary-alcohol-containing products with high enantioselectivities. The reversible E/Z isomerization of the alkenylnickel intermediates allows overall anti-arylmetallative cyclization to occur, producing products with ring systems similar to certain diarylindolizidine alkaloids.