Reductive C-C Coupling from α,ß-Unsaturated Nitriles by Intercepting Keteniminates.

We present an atom-economic strategy to catalytically generate and intercept nitrile anion equivalents using hydrogen transfer catalysis. Addition of α,ß-unsaturated nitriles to a pincer-based Ru-H complex affords structurally characterized κ-N-coordinated keteniminates by selective 1,4-hydride transfer. When generated in situ under catalytic hydrogenation conditions, electrophilic addition to the keteniminate was achieved using anhydrides to provide α-cyanoacetates in high yields. This work represents a new application of hydrogen transfer catalysis using α,ß-unsaturated nitriles for reductive C-C coupling reactions.

Intermediacy of Ni-Ni Species in sp2 C-O Bond Cleavage of Aryl Esters: Relevance in Catalytic C-Si Bond Formation.

Monodentate phosphine ligands are frequently employed in the Ni-catalyzed C-O functionalization of aryl esters. However, the extensive body of preparative work on such reactions contrasts with the lack of information concerning the structure and reactivity of the relevant nickel intermediates. In fact, experimental evidence for a seemingly trivial oxidative addition into the C-O bond of aryl esters with monodentate phosphines and low-valent nickel complexes still remains elusive. Herein, we report a combined experimental and theoretical study on the Ni(0)/PCy3-catalyzed silylation of aryl pivalates with CuF2/CsF additives that reveals the involvement of unorthodox dinickel oxidative addition complexes in C-O bond cleavage and their relevance in C-Si bond formation. We have obtained a mechanistic picture that clarifies the role of the additives and demonstrates that dinickel complexes act as reservoirs of the propagating monomeric nickel complexes by disproportionation. We believe this study will serve as a useful entry point to unravelling the mechanistic underpinnings of other related Ni-catalyzed C-O functionalization reactions employing monodentate phosphines.

Stereoretentive Deuteration of α-Chiral Amines with D2O.

We present the direct and stereoretentive deuteration of primary amines using Ru-bMepi (bMepi = 1,3-(6'-methyl-2'-pyridylimino)isoindolate) complexes and D2O. High deuterium incorporation occurs at the α-carbon (70-99%). For α-chiral amines, complete retention of stereochemistry is achieved when using an electron-deficient Ru catalyst. The retention of enantiomeric purity is attributed to a high binding affinity of an imine intermediate with ruthenium, as well as to a fast H/D exchange relative to ligand dissociation.

Iridium-catalyzed, substrate-directed C-H borylation reactions of benzylic amines.

The iridium-catalyzed arene C-H borylation reaction of benzylic amines has been developed, which inverts the typical steric-controlled product distribution to provide ortho-substituted boronate esters. Picolylamine was found to be an ideal ligand to replace 4,4'-di-tert-butylbipyridine to induce the directing effect. Preliminary experiments are consistent with a mechanism involving dissociation of one amine of the hemilabile diamine ligand.