The development of cage phosphine 'DalPhos' ligands to enable nickel-catalyzed cross-couplings of (hetero)aryl electrophiles.

Nickel-catalyzed cross-couplings of (hetero)aryl electrophiles with a diversity of nucleophiles (nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and others) have evolved into competitive alternatives to well-established palladium- and copper-based protocols for the synthesis of (hetero)aryl products, including (hetero)anilines and (hetero)aryl ethers. A survey of the literature reveals that the use of cage phosphine (CgP) 'DalPhos' (DALhousie PHOSphine) bisphosphine-type ligands operating under thermal conditions currently offers the most broad substrate scope in nickel-catalyzed cross-couplings of this type, especially involving (hetero)aryl chlorides and phenol-derived electrophiles. The development and application of these DalPhos ligands is described in a ligand-specific manner that is intended to serve as a guide for the synthetic chemistry end-user.

Thermal Nickel-Catalyzed N-Arylation of NH-Sulfoximines with (Hetero)aryl Chlorides Enabled by PhPAd-DalPhos Ligation.

We report a versatile method for cross-coupling of NH-sulfoximines with (hetero)aryl chlorides, as well as bromide and sulfonate electrophiles, that makes use of the air-stable, commercial precatalyst (PhPAd-DalPhos)Ni(o-tol)Cl. Under optimized conditions a diverse electrophile scope is established, including the N-arylation of the pharmaceutical Clozapine. While 5 mol % Ni and 80 °C are commonly employed in this chemistry, successful examples utilizing 1 mol % Ni and/or 25 °C are presented. Competition experiments establish the superiority of NH-sulfoximine over primary sulfonamide as nucleophiles under these conditions.

Nickel-Catalyzed O-Arylation of Primary or Secondary Aliphatic Alcohols with (Hetero)aryl Chlorides: A Comparison of Ni(I) and Ni(II) Precatalysts.

A comparative experimental and computational study examining the interplay of the ancillary ligand structure and Ni oxidation state in the Ni-catalyzed C(sp2)-O cross-coupling of (hetero)aryl chlorides and primary or secondary aliphatic alcohols is presented, focusing on PAd-DalPhos (L1)-, CyPAd-DalPhos (L2)-, PAd2-DalPhos (L3)-, and DPPF (L4)-ligated [(L)NiCl]n (n = 1 or 2) and (L)Ni(o-tol)Cl precatalysts. Both L1 and L2 were found to outperform the other ligands examined, with the latter proving to be superior overall. While Ni(II) precatalysts generally outperformed Ni(I) species, in some instances the catalytic abilities of Ni(I) precatalysts were competitive with those of Ni(II). Density-functional theory calculations indicate the favorability of a Ni(0)/Ni(II) catalytic cycle featuring turnover-limiting C-O bond reductive elimination over a Ni(I)/Ni(III) cycle involving turnover-limiting C-Cl oxidative addition.

DalPhos/Nickel-Catalyzed C2-H Arylation of 1,3-Azoles Using a Dual-Base System.

We report a versatile method for C2 functionalization of (benz)oxazoles and (benzo)thiazoles employing a tert-butylimino-tri(pyrrolidino)phosphorane/sodium trifluoroacetate (BTPP/NaTFA) "dual-base" system in combination with an air-stable Ni(II) precatalyst containing either CyPAd-DalPhos or PhPAd-DalPhos. These catalyst systems enable access to a reaction scope that encompasses a range of challenging oxidative addition partners, including (hetero)aryl chlorides as well as pivalates, tosylates, and other related phenol derivatives. The utility of this method is demonstrated through the derivatization of an active pharmaceutical ingredient and 5 mmol synthesis of a thiazole derivative.

Nickel-Catalyzed Chemoselective Arylation of Amino Alcohols.

A systematic evaluation of competitive bisphosphine/Ni-catalyzed C-N versus C-O cross-couplings involving model compounds enabled development of hitherto unknown chemoselective O- and N-arylation of amino alcohols with (hetero)aryl chloride electrophiles, without recourse to protection group chemistry. Use of the CyPAd-DalPhos pre-catalyst C2 enabled particularly challenging O-arylation chemoselectivity in amino alcohols featuring branched primary and secondary alkylamine groups, while selective N-arylation was observed in substrates featuring less-hindered linear alkylamine and aniline reacting groups. Useful reaction scope in the (hetero)aryl chloride was achieved throughout, and the ability to conduct such transformations using benchtop handling of materials is demonstrated.

Comparative Screening of DalPhos/Ni Catalysts in C-N Cross-couplings of (Hetero)aryl Chlorides Enables Development of Aminopyrazole Cross-couplings with Amine Base.

A systematic competitive evaluation of the DalPhos ligand family in nickel-catalyzed N-arylation chemistry is reported, involving primary (linear and branched) and secondary alkylamines, as well as a primary five-membered heteroarylamine (aminopyrazole), in combination with a diverse set of test electrophiles and bases (NaOtBu, K2 CO3 , DBU/NaTFA). In addition to providing optimal ligand/catalyst identification, and bringing to light methodology limitations (e. g., unwanted C-O cross-coupling with NaOtBu), our survey enabled the development of the first efficient catalyst system for heteroatom-dense C-N cross-coupling of aminopyrazoles and related nucleophiles with (hetero)aryl chlorides by use of an amine 'dual-base' system.

Bisphosphine/Nickel-Catalyzed C-O Cross-Coupling of Phenols with Chloropyridine and Related Electrophiles.

Notwithstanding recent developments in nickel-catalyzed C-O cross-coupling chemistry, such transformations of substituted phenols and (hetero)aryl chlorides with a useful reaction scope have yet to be reported. In this work, we disclose the results of catalyst screening that allowed the identification of PhPAd-DalPhos/NiCOD2 as an effective catalyst system under thermal conditions for the O-arylation of substituted phenols with chloropyridine-type electrophiles, leading to pyridyl-O-aryl frameworks that are found in active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Nickel-Catalyzed C-N Cross-Coupling of 4-Chloro-1,8-naphthalimides and Bulky, Primary Alkylamines at Room Temperature.

4-Amino-1,8-naphthalimides, potentially useful fluorescent probes in biological applications, are prepared via Ni(cod)2/IPr-catalyzed cross-couplings between 4-chloro-1,8-naphthalimide electrophiles and α,α,α-trisubstituted, primary alkylamines at room temperature. This method represents the first synthesis of 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimides using Ni-catalyzed C-N cross-coupling and provides the first examples of 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimides incorporating such bulky primary alkylamines, thereby highlighting the utility of Ni-catalyzed processes in synthesizing naphthalimide scaffolds that were inaccessible using established methods (SNAr; Pd or Cu catalysis).

Organic Base Enabled Nickel-Catalyzed Mono-α-Arylation of Feedstock Solvents.

We report on our successful development of the first metal-catalyzed mono-α-arylation of carbonyl compounds employing a soluble organic base. The scope of these Ni/DalPhos-catalyzed transformations encompasses a range of (hetero)aryl halides (Cl, Br, I) and phenol-derived electrophiles (sulfonates, carbonates, carbamates, sulfamates), including active pharmaceutical ingredients (chloroquine, clozapine), in combination with the typically problematic feedstock small molecule substrates acetone, dimethylacetamide, and for the first time with any metal catalyst/base, ethyl acetate.

Mapping Dual-Base-Enabled Nickel-Catalyzed Aryl Amidations: Application in the Synthesis of 4-Quinolones.

The C-N cross-coupling of (hetero)aryl (pseudo)halides with NH substrates employing nickel catalysts and organic amine bases represents an emergent strategy for the sustainable synthesis of (hetero)anilines. However, unlike protocols that rely on photoredox/electrochemical/reductant methods within NiI/III cycles, the reaction steps that comprise a putative Ni0/II C-N cross-coupling cycle for a thermally promoted catalyst system using organic amine base have not been elucidated. Here we disclose an efficient new nickel-catalyzed protocol for the C-N cross-coupling of amides and 2'-(pseudo)halide-substituted acetophenones, for the first time where the (pseudo)halide is chloride or sulfonate, which makes use of the commercial bisphosphine ligand PAd2-DalPhos (L4) in combination with an organic amine base/halide scavenger, leading to 4-quinolones. Room-temperature stoichiometric experiments involving isolated Ni0, I, and II species support a Ni0/II pathway, where the combined action of DBU/NaTFA allows for room-temperature amide cross-couplings.

Nickel-Catalyzed N-Arylation of Fluoroalkylamines.

The Ni-catalyzed N-arylation of ß-fluoroalkylamines with broad scope is reported for the first time. Use of the air-stable pre-catalyst (PAd2-DalPhos)Ni(o-tol)Cl allows for reactions to be conducted at room temperature (25 °C, NaOtBu), or by use of a commercially available dual-base system (100 °C, DBU/NaOTf), to circumvent decomposition of the N-(ß-fluoroalkyl)aniline product. The mild protocols disclosed herein feature broad (hetero)aryl (pseudo)halide scope (X=Cl, Br, I, and for the first time phenol-derived electrophiles), encompassing base-sensitive substrates and enantioretentive transformations, in a manner that is unmatched by any previously reported catalyst system.

Synthetic investigations of low-coordinate (N-phosphino-amidinate) nickel chemistry: agostic alkyl complexes and benzene insertion into Ni-H.

Treatment of (PN)NiX (X = NHdipp or OtBu; PN = N-phosphinoamidinate ligand) with Me2PhSiH in benzene solvent afforded the crystallographically characterized, antifacial-coordinated, dinuclear species 1, the formation of which corresponds to the hitherto unknown net Ni-H addition of two equivalents of the putative (PN)NiH intermediate across C[double bond, length as m-dash]C units within a single benzene molecule. Computational analysis supports the view of 1 as being comprised of two cationic (PN)NiII fragments ligated by a substituted butadiene dianion µ2-η3:η3-C6H82- bridging group. Also described is the formation and characterization of three-coordinate (PN)Ni(alkyl) complexes stabilized by ß-agostic (alkyl = Et, 2; n-Bu, 3; n-hexyl, 4) or γ-agostic (alkyl = neopentyl, 5) interactions, and our efforts to employ 2 and 3 as synthons for the generation of (PN)NiHvia ß-hydride elimination. Notably, compound 5 represents both the first crystallographically characterized three-coordinate Ni-alkyl complex featuring a heterobidentate ligation, and the first neutral γ-agostic NiII-alkyl complex.

Nickel-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Sulfonamides With (Hetero)aryl Chlorides.

The development of Ni-catalyzed C-N cross-couplings of sulfonamides with (hetero)aryl chlorides is reported. These transformations, which were previously achievable only with Pd catalysis, are enabled by use of air-stable (L)NiCl(o-tol) pre-catalysts (L=PhPAd-DalPhos and PAd2-DalPhos), without photocatalysis. The collective scope of (pseudo)halide electrophiles (X=Cl, Br, I, OTs, and OC(O)NEt2 ) demonstrated herein is unprecedented for any reported catalyst system for sulfonamide C-N cross-coupling (Pd, Cu, Ni, or other). Preliminary competition experiments and relevant coordination chemistry studies are also presented.

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 NiII 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.

PhPAd-DalPhos: Ligand-Enabled, Nickel-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of (Hetero)aryl Electrophiles with Bulky Primary Alkylamines.

The base metal-catalyzed C-N cross-coupling of bulky α,α,α-trisubstituted primary alkylamines with (hetero)aryl electrophiles represents a challenging and under-developed class of transformations that is of significant potential utility, including in the synthesis of lipophilic active pharmaceutical ingredients. Herein, we report that a new, air-stable Ni(II) pre-catalyst incorporating the optimized ancillary ligand PhPAd-DalPhos enables such transformations of (hetero)aryl chloride, bromide, and tosylate electrophiles to be carried out for the first time with substrate scope rivalling that achieved using state-of-the-art Pd catalysts, including room temperature cross-couplings of (hetero)aryl chlorides that are unprecedented for any catalyst (Pd, Ni, or other).

A comparative analysis of hydrosilative amide reduction catalyzed by first-row transition metal (Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni) N-phosphinoamidinate complexes.

A comparative study of the performance of (PN)M(N(SiMe3)2) (M = Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni) pre-catalysts supported by N-phosphinoamidinate ligation, as well as M(N(SiMe3)2)n (M = Li, Na, K, Mn, Fe, and Co) pre-catalysts, in the hydrosilative reduction of selected tertiary amide test substrates using PhSiH3 is reported. Encouraged by the performance observed herein for (PN)Ni(N(SiMe3)2) in the reduction of both N,N-dibenzylbenzamide and N,N-diisopropylbenzamide, further competitive testing involving the known complex (PN)Ni(NHdipp) (dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl), as well as the new and crystallographically characterized mononuclear complexes (PN)Ni(OR) (R = 2,6-dimethylphenyl or tBu), revealed (PN)Ni(OtBu) to be particularly effective in such reduction chemistry, including transformations involving the secondary amides N-benzylbenzamide and caprolactam.

Exploiting Ancillary Ligation To Enable Nickel-Catalyzed C-O Cross-Couplings of Aryl Electrophiles with Aliphatic Alcohols.

The use of (L)Ni( o-tolyl)Cl precatalysts (L = PAd-DalPhos or CyPAd-DalPhos) enables the C( sp2)-O cross-coupling of primary, secondary, or tertiary aliphatic alcohols with (hetero)aryl electrophiles, including unprecedented examples of such nickel-catalyzed transformations employing (hetero)aryl chlorides, sulfonates, and pivalates. In addition to offering a competitive alternative to palladium catalysis, this work establishes the feasibility of utilizing ancillary ligation as a complementary means of promoting challenging nickel-catalyzed C( sp2)-O cross-couplings, without recourse to precious-metal photoredox catalytic methods.

A Manganese Pre-Catalyst: Mild Reduction of Amides, Ketones, Aldehydes, and Esters.

A new (N-phosphinoamidinate)manganese complex is shown to be a useful pre-catalyst for the hydrosilative reduction of carbonyl compounds, and in most cases at room temperature. The Mn-catalyzed reduction of tertiary amides to tertiary amines, with a useful scope, is demonstrated for the first time by use of this catalyst, and is competitive with the most effective transition-metal catalysts known for such transformations. Ketones, aldehydes, and esters were also successfully reduced under mild conditions by using this new Mn catalyst.

Ni and Cu-catalyzed one pot synthesis of unsymmetrical 1,3-di(hetero)aryl-1H-indazoles from hydrazine, o-chloro (hetero)benzophenones, and (hetero)aryl bromides.

The nickel-catalyzed cyclization of in situ generated ortho-chlorobenzophenone hydrazone derivatives, to afford 3-(hetero)aryl-1H-indazoles, is documented for the first time. The product 1H-indazoles can be transformed subsequently in a one-pot procedure into 1,3-di(hetero)aryl-1H-indazoles via copper-catalyzed N-arylation with (hetero)aryl bromides.

Dehydrogenative B-H/C(sp3 )-H Benzylic Borylation within the Coordination Sphere of Platinum(II).

The first examples of stoichiometric dehydrogenative B-H/C(sp3 )-H benzylic borylation reactions, which are of relevance to catalytic methylarene (di)borylation, are reported. These unusual transformations involving a (κ2 -P,N)Pt(η3 -benzyl) complex, and either pinacolborane or catecholborane, proceed cleanly at room temperature. Density functional calculations suggest that borylation occurs via successive σ-bond metathesis steps, whereby a PtII -H intermediate engages in C(sp3 )-H bond activation-induced dehydrogenation.