Ni-Catalyzed Intermolecular Carboacylation of Internal Alkynes via Amide C-N Bond Activation

The Ni-catalyzed carboacylation of alkynes with amide electrophiles and triarylboroxines is presented. The reaction generates all-carbon tetrasubstituted alkene products in up to 62% yield. NiCl2.glyme is used as an inexpensive precatalyst in the absence of any external reductant or exogenous ligand. Design of Experiment (DoE) was used to achieve the best combination of yield and stereoselectivity in this acylative carbodifunction-alization of alkynes to generate highly substituted enones.