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Updated: Apr 18, 2026

A Microwave-Assisted Direct Heteroarylation of Ketones Using Transition Metal Catalysis
Published on: February 16, 2020
General and mild Ni(0)-catalyzed α-arylation of ketones using aryl chlorides
José A Fernández-Salas1, Enrico Marelli, David B Cordes
1EaStCHEM, School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST (UK).
Abstract:
A general methodology for the α-arylation of ketones using a nickel catalyst has been developed. The new well-defined [Ni(IPr*)(cin)Cl] (1 c) pre-catalyst showed great efficiency for this transformation, allowing the coupling of a wide range of ketones, including acetophenone derivatives, with various functionalised aryl chlorides. This cinnamyl-based Ni-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complex has demonstrated a different behaviour to previously reported NHC-Ni catalysts. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest a Ni(0)/Ni(II) catalytic cycle to be at play.
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