NiH‐Catalyzed Enantioconvergent <i>α</i> ‐Alkenylation of Carbonyl Compounds via Markovnikov Alkyne Hydronickellation

β-Methylene carbonyl motifs constitute privileged structural frameworks that play vital roles as a pharmacophore and serve as key intermediates in the assembly of architecturally complex molecules. Despite their synthetic importance, asymmetric approaches for their preparation remain scarce and are largely confined to substrate-controlled or stoichiometric chiral auxiliary methods. Herein, we report a nickel hydride-catalyzed enantioconvergent α-alkenylation of carbonyl compounds with alkynes, providing a direct and general route to α-chiral β-methylene carbonyl derivatives. The transformation proceeds via Markovnikov-selective alkyne hydronickellation followed by nickel-radical recombination to forge the α-stereogenic center, delivering the desired products with high levels of regio- and enantioselectivity. The protocol accommodates a wide range of alkynes and α-halocarbonyl partners, displays excellent functional group tolerance, and can be applied to the modification of biologically relevant molecules. Mechanistic investigations indicate that a partially protic Ni(II)H species governs the observed regioselectivity, while enantio-discrimination occurs during the radical capture step. This work establishes NiH catalysis as a versatile platform for expanding the synthetic repertoire for enantioenriched β-methylene carbonyl architectures.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Published
2026-03-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.8854855
Primary Topic
Catalytic C–H Functionalization Methods
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

NiH‐Catalyzed Enantioconvergent α ‐Alkenylation of Carbonyl Compounds via Markovnikov Alkyne Hydronickellation

Seji Jang, HyeonTaek Nam, Sangwon Seo, Dongwook Kim
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Catalytic C–H Functionalization Methods
article

NiH‐Catalyzed Enantioconvergent α ‐Alkenylation of Carbonyl Compounds via Markovnikov Alkyne Hydronickellation

Seji Jang, HyeonTaek Nam, Sangwon Seo, Dongwook Kim
article en

Abstract

β-Methylene carbonyl motifs constitute privileged structural frameworks that play vital roles as a pharmacophore and serve as key intermediates in the assembly of architecturally complex molecules. Despite their synthetic importance, asymmetric approaches for their preparation remain scarce and are largely confined to substrate-controlled or stoichiometric chiral auxiliary methods. Herein, we report a nickel hydride-catalyzed enantioconvergent α-alkenylation of carbonyl compounds with alkynes, providing a direct and general route to α-chiral β-methylene carbonyl derivatives. The transformation proceeds via Markovnikov-selective alkyne hydronickellation followed by nickel-radical recombination to forge the α-stereogenic center, delivering the desired products with high levels of regio- and enantioselectivity. The protocol accommodates a wide range of alkynes and α-halocarbonyl partners, displays excellent functional group tolerance, and can be applied to the modification of biologically relevant molecules. Mechanistic investigations indicate that a partially protic Ni(II)H species governs the observed regioselectivity, while enantio-discrimination occurs during the radical capture step. This work establishes NiH catalysis as a versatile platform for expanding the synthetic repertoire for enantioenriched β-methylene carbonyl architectures.

Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (KR), Institute for Basic Science (KR)
Peace, Justice and strong institutions
Openalex Percentile: Top 19%
Catalytic C–H Functionalization Methods
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.