Synthesis of α,β-alkynyl ketones via the nickel catalysed carbonylative Sonogashira reaction using oxalic acid as a sustainable C1 source.

An efficient and economic nickel-dppb catalyzed, carbonylative Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction was demonstrated to provide rapid access to various α,β-alkynyl ketones from aryl iodides and terminal alkynes using oxalic acid as the ex situ C1 source in a double vial (DV) system. Notably, the role of the ligand in combination with the Ni catalyst for the selective formation of carbonylative Sonogashira products was investigated and supported with control experiments. Yet, no reports are available for carbonylative Sonogashira coupling by using a CO-surrogate under Ni-catalyzed conditions. In this process, for the first time, oxalic acid is used as an ex situ solid, bench stable, easy to handle and efficient CO surrogate in a DV-system for the carbonylative Sonogashira coupling reaction with vast substrate scope.