Nickel-Catalyzed Selective Synthesis of α-Alkylated Ketones via Dehydrogenative Cross-Coupling of Primary and Secondary Alcohols

Abstract

Herein,we describean isolable,air-stable,homogeneous,nickel catalystthat performsdehydrogenativecross-couplingreactionbetweensecondaryand primaryalcoholsto result α-alkylatedketoneproductsselectively. The sequenceof stepsinvolvein this one-potreactionis dehydrogenationof both alcohols,condensationbetweenthe ketoneand the aldehyde,and hydrogenationof the in situ-generatedα,β-unsaturatedketone.Preliminarymechanisticinvestigationhints a radicalmechanismfollowingborrowinghydrogenreaction