Abstract This study presents a Ni‐photoredox method for indoleN‐arylation, broadening the range of substrates to include indoles with unprotected C3‐positions and base‐sensitive groups. Through detailed mechanistic inquiries, a Ni(I/III) mechanism was uncovered, distinct from those commonly proposed for Ni‐catalyzed amine, thiol, and alcohol arylation, as well as from the Ni(0/II/III) cycle identified for amide arylation under almost identical conditions. The key finding is the formation of a Ni(I) intermediate bearing the indole nucleophile as a ligand prior to oxidative addition, which is rare for Ni‐photoredox carbon‐heteroatom coupling and has a profound impact on the reaction kinetics and scope. The pre‐coordination of indole renders a more electron‐rich Ni(I) intermediate, which broadens the scope by enabling fast reactivity even with challenging electron‐rich aryl bromide substrates. Thus, this work highlights the often‐overlooked influence of X‐type ligands on Ni oxidative addition rates and illustrates yet another mechanistic divergence in Ni‐photoredox C‐heteroatom couplings.
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Mechanistic Evidence of a Ni(0/II/III) Cycle for Nickel Photoredox Amide Arylation
This work demonstrates the dominance of a Ni(0/II/III) cycle for Ni‐photoredox amide arylation, which contrasts with other Ni‐photoredox C‐heteroatom couplings that operate via Ni(I/III) self‐sustained cycles. The kinetic data gathered when using different Ni precatalysts supports an initial Ni(0)‐mediated oxidative addition into the aryl bromide. Using NiCl2 as the precatalyst resulted in an observable induction period, which was found to arise from a photochemical activation event to generate Ni(0) and to be prolonged by unproductive comproportionation between the Ni(II) precatalyst and the in‐situ generated Ni(0) active species. Ligand exchange after oxidative addition yields a Ni(II) aryl amido complex, which was identified as the catalyst resting state for the reaction. Stoichiometric experiments showed that oxidation of this Ni(II) aryl amido intermediate was required to yield functionalized amide products. The kinetic data presented supports a rate‐limiting photochemically‐mediated Ni(II/III) oxidation to enable C−N reductive elimination. An alternative Ni(I/III) self‐sustained manifold was discarded based on EPR and kinetic measurements. The mechanistic insights uncovered herein will inform the community on how subtle changes in Ni‐photoredox reaction conditions may impact the reaction pathway, and have enabled us to include aryl chlorides as coupling partners and to reduce the Ni loading by 20‐fold without any reactivity loss.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2235778
- PAR ID:
- 10461832
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition
- ISSN:
- 1433-7851
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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