Catalytic Reductive Vinylidene Transfer Reactions

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jacs.7b05901

Methylenecyclopropanes are important synthetic intermediates that possess strain energies exceeding those of saturated cyclopropanes by >10 kcal/mol. This report describes a catalytic reductive methylenecyclopropanation reaction of simple olefins, utilizing 1,1-dichloroalkenes as vinylidene precursors. The reaction is promoted by a dinuclear Ni catalyst, which is proposed to access Ni₂(vinylidenoid) intermediates via C - Cl oxidative addition.