Synthesis of α,β-unsaturated ketones through nickel-catalysed aldehyde-free hydroacylation of alkynes
Abstract α,β-Unsaturated ketones are common feedstocks in functional materials, pharmaceuticals and natural compounds. Transition metal-catalysed hydroacylation reactions of alkynes using aldehydes have been widely applied for the atom-economical synthesis of α,β-unsaturated ketones through chemoselective aldehydic C–H activation. However, previous hydroacylation reactions using rhodium, cobalt, or ruthenium catalysts require chelating moiety-bearing aldehydes to prevent undesired decarbonylative product via an unstable acyl-metal-H complex. Herein, we report a nickel-catalysed reductive and anti-Markovnikov selective coupling process to afford non-tethered E-enones from terminal alkynes through an acyl-nickel-thiopyridine complex in the presence of zinc metal as a reducing agent. Utilization of a thioester as an acylating agent and water as a hydrogen donor enables this mechanistically distinctive and aldehyde-free hydroacylation of terminal alkynes under mild reaction conditions at room temperature, with a broad substrate scope including versatile functional groups and even simple aryl and alkyl moieties.
