A general synthetic route to the first Xantphos nickel alkyne and alkene complexes has been discovered. Various Ni π-complexes were prepared and characterized. NMR experiments indicate benzonitrile undergoes ligand exchange with a Xantphos ligand of (Xant)2Ni, a compound that was previously believed to be unreactive. The Ni π-complexes were also shown to be catalytically competent in cross coupling and cycloaddition reactions. (Xant)2Ni is also catalytically active for these reactions when activated by a nitrile or coordinating solvent.
Nicholas D Staudaher, Ryan M Stolley, Janis Louie. Synthesis, mechanism of formation, and catalytic activity of Xantphos nickel π-complexes. Chemical communications (Cambridge, England). 2014 Dec 21;50(98):15577-80
PMID: 25356514
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