PAd2-DalPhos Enables the Nickel-Catalyzed C-N Cross-Coupling of Primary Heteroarylamines and (Hetero)aryl Chlorides

Base-metal catalysts capable of enabling the assembly of heteroatom-dense molecules by cross-coupling of primary heteroarylamines and (hetero)aryl chlorides, while sought-after given the ubiquity of unsymmetrical di(hetero)arylamino fragments in pharmacophores, are unknown. Herein, we disclose the new double cage bisphosphine PAd2-DalPhos (L2). The derived air-stable Ni-II pre-catalyst C2 functions well at low loadings in challenging test C-N cross-couplings with established substrates, and facilitates the first Ni-catalyzed C-N cross-couplings of primary five- or six-membered ring heteroarylamines and activated (hetero)aryl chlorides, with synthetically useful scope that is competitive with Pd catalysis.