Nickel-Catalyzed Transfer Semihydrogenation and Hydroamination of Aromatic Alkynes Using Amines As Hydrogen Donors

The transfer hydrogenation of diphenylacetylene to yield cis- and trans-stilbenes was achieved using a variety of amines as hydrogen donors and the complex 1 ([(dippe)Ni(μ-H)]2) in catalytic amounts (0.5% mol). The use of nucleophilic amines such as pyrrolidine in neat conditions afforded the hydroamination of diphenylacetylene, in moderate to high yields. Cyclization of 2-ethynylaniline also was carried out under similar conditions, with 1 in catalytic amounts, but in low yield, mainly due to the formation of homocoupling products of the starting material. The hydrogenation of diphenylacetylene by using other nitrogenated compounds such as aromatic N-heterocycles was addressed to give a metal-mediated process, using 1 in stoichiometric amounts.