Revised Mechanism of C(sp3)-C(sp3) Reductive Elimination from Ni(II) with the Assistance of a Z-Type Metalloligand.

Reductive elimination is a key step in Ni-catalyzed cross-couplings. Compared with processes that proceed from Ni(III) or Ni(IV) intermediates, C(sp3)-C(sp3) reductive eliminations from Ni(II) centers are challenging due to the weak oxidizing ability of Ni(II) species. In this report, we present computational evidence that supports a mechanism in which Zn coordination to the nickel center as a Z-type ligand accelerates reductive elimination. This Zn-assisted pathway is found to be lower in energy compared with direct reductive elimination from a σ-coordinated Ni(II) intermediate, providing new insights into the mechanism of Ni-catalyzed cross-coupling with organozinc nucleophiles. Mayer bond order, Hirshfield charge, Laplacian of the electron density, orbital, and interaction region indicator analyses were conducted to elucidate details of the reductive elimination process and characterize the key intermediates. Theoretical calculations indicate a significant Z-type Ni-Zn interaction that reduces the electron density around the Ni center and accelerates reductive elimination. This mechanistic study of reductive elimination in Ni(0)-catalyzed conjunctive cross-couplings of aryl iodides, organozinc reagents, and alkenes is an important case study of the involvement of Zn-assisted reductive elimination in Ni catalysis. We anticipate that the novel Zn-assisted reductive elimination mode may extend to other cross-coupling processes and explain the unique effectiveness of organozinc nucleophiles in many instances.

Transition Metal-Catalyzed Enantioselective C-H Functionalization via Chiral Transient Directing Group Strategies.

Transition metal-catalyzed enantioselective functionalization of C-H bond, the most abundant functionality in organic molecules, has emerged as an expedient synthetic approach to streamline the synthesis of complex chiral molecules. Despite significant progress, traditional directing group-enabled strategies require additional steps for the installation and removal of directing groups from the target molecule. The recently developed asymmetric C-H functionalization using chiral transient directing groups (cTDGs) offers a promising alternative that can circumvent this obstacle and therefore simplify the process. In this Minireview, we briefly discuss the advent and recent advances of this emerging concept, with an emphasis on discussing the creation of various stereogenic centers and the developments of cTDGs. Applications in natural product synthesis and ligand derivatizations are also discussed. We hope this Minireview will highlight the great potential of this strategy and help to inspire further endeavors.

Redox-enabled direct stereoconvergent heteroarylation of simple alcohols.

The direct transformation of racemic feedstock materials to valuable enantiopure compounds is of significant importance for sustainable chemical synthesis. Toward this goal, the radical mechanism has proven uniquely effective in stereoconvergent carbon-carbon bond forming reactions. Here we report a mechanistically distinct redox-enabled strategy for an efficient enantioconvergent coupling of pyrroles with simple racemic secondary alcohols. In such processes, chirality is removed from the substrate via dehydrogenation and reinstalled in the catalytic reduction of a key stabilized cationic intermediate. This strategy provides significant advantage of utilizing simple pyrroles to react with feedstock alcohols without the need for leaving group incorporation. This overall redox-neutral transformation is also highly economical with no additional reagent nor waste generation other than water. In our studies, oxime-derived iridacycle complexes are introduced, which cooperate with a chiral phosphoric acid to enable heteroarylation of alcohols, accessing a wide range of valuable substituted pyrroles in high yield and enantioselectivity.