posted on 2023-12-07, 14:40authored byYu Shui, Sajid Imran, Wen-Hui Jin, Yang Liu, Nadia Ismaeel, Hong-Mei Sun
We report the first example of a
regioselectivity switch
in the
hydroheteroarylation of vinylarenes with electron-rich heteroarenes,
including benzofurans, benzothiophenes, and indoles, using an expedient
ligand-controlled strategy. In the presence of NaOtBu, Ni(IMesMe)[P(OEt)3]Br2 yields C2-alkylated heteroarenes with high branched selectivity,
whereas the use of Ni(IPr*OMe)[P(OEt)3]Br2 favors the formation of the corresponding linear products.
This robust method also provides easy access to a range of C2-alkylated
electron-rich heteroarenes without employing directing groups.