Nickel-Catalyzed Arylative Carboxylation of Alkynes with Arylmagnesium Reagents and Carbon Dioxide Leading to Trisubstituted Acrylic Acids.

Nickel-catalyzed arylcarboxylation of alkynes with arylmagnesium reagents and carbon dioxide (CO2, 1 atm) was realized in one pot. Various trisubstituted acrylic acids within an aryl group at the β-position have been prepared efficiently with good regioselectivity under mild conditions. The resulting products could be further transformed to benzoannelated cycles retaining CO2 as a one-carbon synthon.