Nickel-Catalyzed Desymmetrizing Cross-Electrophile Coupling of Cyclic Meso-Anhydrides.

A Ni-catalyzed desymmetrizing cross-electrophile coupling of cyclic meso-anhydrides with aryl triflates has been successfully demonstrated. This is the only example using cyclic meso-anhydrides in cross-electrophile coupling reactions. A diverse array of valuable γ-keto acid building blocks can be generated under these conditions with excellent functional group tolerance and stereochemical fidelity.