Enhanced Activity of [Ni(NHC)CpCl] Complexes in Arylamination Catalysis

Seven new air- and moisture-stable nickel complexes bearing flexible bulky NHC (N-heterocyclic carbene) ancillary ligands (NHC = IPr*, IPr*^Tol, IPr*^OMe, IPent) are reported. Using experimentally determined crystal structures, the steric environments of [Ni­(NHC)­CpCl] complexes were analyzed. A survey of their catalytic activity in Buchwald–Hartwig arylamination has been performed. In comparison to less sterically demanding analogues (NHC = IMes, SIMes, IPr, SIPr), an increase in the ligand bulkiness was found to correlate to a dramatic enhancement of the C–N bond formation efficiency. Finally, the catalytic activity of the most active precatalyst, [Ni­(IPr*^OMe)­CpCl], was further explored and the scope and limitations of this complex were examined.