From acetone metalation to the catalytic α-arylation of acyclic ketones with NHC–nickel(<scp>ii</scp>) complexes

Abstract

Air-stable N-heterocyclic carbene-nickel(ii) complexes at concentrations as low as 1 mol% exhibit high catalytic activity for the α-arylation of acyclic ketones and join a highly restricted list of nickel catalysts for this key reaction. Mechanistic investigations suggest a radical pathway.