Synthetic Applications and Mechanistic Considerations of Nickel- and Photo-Catalysis

Abstract

One of the most important considerations when developing a transition metal-catalyzed synthetic method is the selection of an ancillary ligand. With thousands of unique ligand structures designed to complement equally diverse metal/substrate chemical space, identification of an effective ligand can be challenging, as the ability to rationalize and predict how ligands will impact catalyst structure and reactivity often requires extensive study. Thorough mechanistic investigations have elucidated many of these ligand structure–reactivity relationships (SRRs) with Pd, leading to substantial advances in ligand and precatalyst design for cross-coupling reactions. However, a similar mechanistic understanding of ligand effects is lacking for Ni, limiting its widespread adoption in synthesis as a practical alternative and complement to precious metal catalysts. This lecture will discuss my group’s efforts to design new ligands for Ni, develop a mechanistic understanding of Ni’s unique structure-reactivity relationships, and apply these advances to the development of improved and new catalytic methods for chemical synthesis.