Nickel-Catalyzed Hiyama Cross-Coupling Reaction of α-Bromo Esters

Significance

The authors report the first catalytic asymmetric cross-couplings of α-halo carbonyl compounds with aryl metal reagents, thereby generating synthetically useful α-aryl carboxylic acid derivatives in good enantiomeric excess. Moreover, it is noted that this catalyst system could be applied to enantioselective alkenylation of α-halo esters. These esters were successfully converted into a corresponding alcohol or carboxylic acid without racemization.