NiH-Catalyzed Hydroamination/Cyclization Cascade: Rapid Access to Quinolines

Despite the significant success of metal-H-catalyzed hydroamination methodologies, considerable limitations still exist in the selective hydroamination of alkynes, especially for terminal alkynes. Herein, we develop a highly efficient NiH catalytic system that activates readily available alkynes for a cascade hydroamination/cyclization reaction with anthranils. This mild, operationally simple protocol is amenable to a wide array of alkynes including terminal and internal, aryl and alkyl, electron-deficient and electron-rich ones, delivering structurally diverse quinolines in useful to excellent yields (>80 examples, up to 93% yield). The utility of this procedure is exhibited in the late-stage functionalization of several natural products and in the concise synthesis of an antitumor molecule graveolinine and a triplex DNA intercalator. Preliminary mechanistic experiments suggest an alkenylnickel-mediated alkyne hydroamination and an intramolecular cyclization/aromatization of putative enamine intermediates.

Automated summary

A highly efficient NiH catalytic system was developed for the selective hydroamination of alkynes, leading to structurally diverse quinolines. This method is applicable to a wide range of alkynes and has shown utility in the functionalization of natural products and the synthesis of complex molecules. Preliminary mechanistic experiments suggest an alkenylnickel-mediated alkyne hydroamination and intramolecular cyclization of enamine intermediates.