Nickel-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Cross-Coupling of NHPI Esters to Access 1,4-Dialkylbenzenes

A practical nickel-catalyzed decarboxylative cross-coupling of <i>N</i>-hydroxyphthalimide esters with 1,4-diiodobenzene analogues has been developed. Under mild reaction conditions, a series of structurally interesting 1,4-dialkylbenzene analogues have been accessed with good functional group tolerance, which are versatile precursors for organic synthesis and a kind of important unit for bioactive molecules, polymers, and other materials. The synthetic application of this methodology was demonstrated by the synthesis of 3-6-dialkylcarbazole derivatives.