Ni(I)-Alkyl Complexes Bearing Phenanthroline Ligands: Experimental Evidence for CO2Insertion at Ni(I) Centers

Abstract

Although the catalytic carboxylation of unactivated alkyl electrophiles has reached remarkable levels of sophistication, the intermediacy of (phenanthroline)Ni(I)-alkyl species - complexes proposed in numerous Ni-catalyzed reductive cross-coupling reactions - has been subject to speculation. Herein we report the synthesis of such elusive (phenanthroline)Ni(I) species and their reactivity with CO2, allowing us to address a long-standing question related to Ni-catalyzed carboxylation reactions.