Ni-catalyzed regio- and stereo-defined intermolecular cross-electrophile dialkylation of alkynes without directing group

Abstract

The development of straightforward synthesis of regio- and stereodefined alkenes with multiple aliphatic substituents under mild conditions is an unmet challenge owing to competitive β-hydride elimination and selectivity issues. Herein, we report the nickel-catalyzed intermolecular cross-dialkylation of alkynes devoid of directing or activating groups to afford multiple aliphatic substituted alkenes in a syn-selective fashion at room temperature. The combination of two-electron oxidative cyclometallation and single-electron cross-electrophile coupling of nickel enables the syn-cross-dialkylation of alkynes at room temperature. This reductive protocol enables the sequential installation of two different alkyl substituents onto alkynes in a regio- and stereo-selective manner, circumventing the tedious preformation of sensitive organometallic reagents. The synthetic utility of this protocol is demonstrated by efficient synthesis of multi-substituted unfunctionalized alkenes and diverse transformations of the product.