Nickel-Hydride-Catalyzed Diastereo- and Enantioselective Hydroalkylation of Cyclopropenes.

ABSTRACT

Cyclopropanes are structural motifs that are widely present in natural products and bioactive molecules, and they are also tremendously useful building blocks in synthetic organic chemistry. Asymmetric synthesis of cyclopropane derivatives has been an intensively researched area over the years, but efficient asymmetric preparation of alkylcyclopropane scaffolds remains a challenging topic. Herein, we report a nickel-hydride-catalyzed enantioselective and diastereoselective hydroalkylation of cyclopropenes for facile synthesis of chiral alkylcyclopropane motifs. The reported method is efficient and versatile, taking place under mild reaction conditions, and having broad applicability and excellent functional group tolerance.