Cross-Coupling Reactions by Cooperative Metal Catalysis

Abstract

Cross-coupling reactions based on catalytically generated organocopper species have been developed by cooperative Pd/Cu or Ni/Cu catalysis. Alkyl or alkenylcopper intermediates generated via the hydrocupration or borylcupration of alkenes or alkynes engage in Pd- or Ni-catalyzed reactions with organic electrophiles. These reactions circumvent the laborious pre-synthesis and isolation processes of organometallics that characterize conventional cross-coupling reactions, and they are hence more step-economical. Moreover, highly functionalized organocopper species, which are difficult to access using conventional methods, can be obtained from readily available alkenes and alkynes. Thus, cross-coupling reactions by cooperative Pd/Cu or Ni/Cu catalysis represent powerful tools for the construction of complex structures from readily available starting materials in a single operation.