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Updated: Aug 23, 2025

A Microwave-Assisted Direct Heteroarylation of Ketones Using Transition Metal Catalysis
Published on: February 16, 2020
Nickel-catalyzed arylative substitution of homoallylic alcohols
Hai N Tran1, Chau M Nguyen1, Mason T Koeritz1
1Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University Ames IA 50011 USA lstanley@iastate.edu.
Abstract:
Direct coupling of unactivated alcohols remains a challenge in synthetic chemistry. Current approaches to cross-coupling of alcohol-derived electrophiles often involve activated alcohols such as tosylates or carbonates. We report the direct arylative substitution of homoallylic alcohols catalyzed by a nickel-bisphosphine complex as a facile method to generate allylic arenes. These reactions proceed via formation of an allylic alcohol intermediate. Subsequent allylic substitution with arylboroxine nucleophiles enables the formation of a variety of allylic arenes. The presence of p-methoxyphenylboronic acid is crucial to activate the allylic alcohol to achieve high product yields.
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