Nickel Catalyzed syn-Selective Aryl Nickelation and Cyclization of Aldehyde/Enone-Tethered Terminal Alkynes with Arylboronic Acids

A syn-arylative nickelation followed by nucleophilic syn-selective cyclization of o-propargyloxy benzaldehydes is achieved toward the synthesis of chromanol skeletons with alkenyl substitution at C3. The capture of the intermediate vinyl nickel in its cis geometry is done also with a Michael acceptor to synthesize 4-alkylated derivatives. This protocol is equally applicable to o-propargylamino benzaldehydes to access 3,4-disubstituted tetrahydro-hydroquinolines.