A Bimolecular Homolytic Substitution-Enabled Platform for Multicomponent Cross-Coupling of Unactivated Alkenes

22 December 2023, Version 1
This content is a preprint and has not undergone peer review at the time of posting.

Abstract

The construction of C(sp3)-C(sp3) bonds remains one of the most difficult challenges in cross-coupling chemistry. Here, we report a photoredox/nickel dual catalytic approach that enables the simultaneous formation of two C(sp3)-C(sp3) linkages via trimolecular cross-coupling of alkenes with alkyl halides and hypervalent iodine-based reagents. The reaction harnesses a bimolecular homolytic substitution (SH2) mechanism and chemoselective halogen-atom transfer (XAT) to orchestrate the regioselective addition of electrophilic and nucleophilic alkyl radicals across unactivated alkenes without the need for a directing auxiliary. Utility is highlighted through late-stage (fluoro)alkylation and (trideutero)methylation of C=C bonds bearing different substitution patterns, offering straightforward access to drug-like molecules comprising sp3-hybridized carbon scaffolds.

Keywords

bimolecular homolytic substitution
halogen-atom transfer
nickel catalysis
photocatalysis
dialkylation
unactivated alkene

Supplementary materials

Title
Description
Actions
Title
Supporting Information
Description
Experimental procedures and spectral data.
Actions

Comments

Comments are not moderated before they are posted, but they can be removed by the site moderators if they are found to be in contravention of our Commenting Policy [opens in a new tab] - please read this policy before you post. Comments should be used for scholarly discussion of the content in question. You can find more information about how to use the commenting feature here [opens in a new tab] .
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy [opens in a new tab] and Terms of Service [opens in a new tab] apply.