Nickel-Catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reaction of Naphthyl and Quinolyl Alcohols with Boronic Acids.

A nickel-catalyzed C(sp3)-C(sp2) Suzuki cross-coupling of arylboronic acids and (hetero)naphthyl alcohols has been developed. A Ni(dppp)Cl2 complex showed the highest efficiency and broadest substrate scope. High functional group tolerance has been achieved where 35  compounds could be generated in good to excellent yields, including both primary and secondary benzylic alcohols. Mechanistic studies using multiple NMR techniques as well as ESI-HRMS showed that the C-O cleavage is facilitated by an activation of the benzylic alcohol through formation of a boronic ester intermediate.