Surprisingly Efficient Catalytic Cr-Mediated Reactions

Significance

This work presents an excellent, extremely versatile and surprisingly universal method for the formation of a new C-C bond by the addition of organic halides to aldehydes. The known Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi reaction can be applied, by use of this method, to alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl and aryl iodides as well as allyl bromides. Only 1 mol% of the chromium catalyst and 0.2 mol% of Ni(II) or Co(II) additives are required for the process. The reaction takes place at room temperature within a few hours. As for the ‘parent’ reaction of alkenyl iodides, an extremely good tolerance of the functional groups can be expected for this reaction, which gives it a high potential for the synthesis of complex biologically active molecules.