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Updated: Jan 20, 2026
Lewis Acids and Bases: Definition and Examples
Integration of Proximal Alkoxide and Lewis Acidic Cations To Boost Nickel-Catalyzed Borylation
Benjamin S Grills1, Jennifer A Garden1, Benjamin N Bhawal1
1School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K.
None:
Nickel catalysis offers a sustainable alternative to palladium catalysis for cross-coupling reactions, yet ligands tailored for nickel catalysis are lacking. We introduce new phosphine ligands designed to facilitate the incorporation of Lewis acidic cations. The combination of a phosphinoalcohol ligand with either (n-Bu)2Mg or KHMDS, as a source of Mg2+ or K+ cations respectively, proved to be optimal for the borylation of aryl chlorides. Studies verified that incorporation of Lewis acidic cations in the proximity of the Ni center enhances reactivity.
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