Chemoselective Union of Olefins, Organohalides, and Redox-Active Esters Enables Regioselective Alkene Dialkylation

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jacs.0c09922

Multicomponent catalytic processes that can generate multiple C(sp3)-C(sp3) bonds in a single step under mild conditions, particularly those that employ inexpensive catalysts and substrates, are highly sought-after in chemistry research for complex molecule synthesis. Here, we disclose an efficient Ni-catalyzed reductive protocol that chemoselectively merges alkenyl amides with two different aliphatic electrophiles. Starting materials are readily accessible from stable and abundant feedstock, and products are furnished in up to >98:2 regioisomeric ratios. The present strategy eliminates the use of sensitive organometallic reagents, tolerates a wide array of complex functionalities, and enables regiodivergent addition of two primary alkyl groups bearing similar electronic and steric attributes across aliphatic C=C bonds with exquisite control of site selectivity. Utility is underscored by the concise synthesis of bioactive compounds and postreaction functionalizations leading to structurally diverse scaffolds. DFT studies revealed that the regiochemical outcome originates from the orthogonal reactivity and chemoselectivity profiles of in situ generated organonickel species.