NiCl2(dppe)-catalyzed cross-coupling of aryl mesylates, arenesulfonates, and halides with arylboronic acids

An investigation of the NiCl2(dppe)-, NiCl2(dppb)-, NiCl2(dppf)-, NiCl2(PCy3)(2)-, and NiCl2(PPh3)(2)-catalyzed cross-coupling of the previously unreported aryl mesylates, and of aryl arenesulfonates, chlorides, bromides, and iodides containing electron-withdrawing and electron-donating substituents with aryl boronic acids, in the absence of a reducing agent, is reported. NiCl2(dppe) was the only catalyst that exhibited high and solvent-independent activity in the two solvents investigated, toluene and dioxane. NiCl2(dppe) with an excess of dppe, NiCl2(dppe)/dppe, was reactive in the cross-coupling of electron-poor aryl mesylates, tosylates, chlorides, bromides, and iodides. This catalyst was also efficient in the cross-coupling of aryl bromides and iodides containing electron-donating substituents. Most surprisingly, the replacement of the excess dppe from NiCl2(dppe)/dppe with excess PPh3 generated NiCl2(dppe)/PPh3, which was found to be reactive for the cross-coupling of both electron-rich and electron-poor aryl mesylates and chlorides. Therefore, the solvent-independent reactivity of NiCl2(dppe) provides an inexpensive and general nickel catalyst for the cross-coupling of aryl mesylates, tosylates, chlorides, bromides, and iodides with aryl boronic acids.