Nickel Initiators for Kumada Poly-condensation

Significance

The preparation of functionalized nickel initiators for chain-growth Kumada catalyst-transfer polycondensations (KCTP) was achieved in high yields without the undesired homocoupling reaction by the introduction of alkyl groups ortho to the metal-bearing carbon. The steric hindrance imported by the alkyl groups prevent homocoupling, which is a dominant reaction of aryl ­Grignard reagents.