New Directions in Cross-Couplings Catalyzed by Non-Precious Metals

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Project Summary/Abstract Amides are prevalent functional groups that serve as the key building blocks of proteins. Whereas Nature can masterfully cleave amides through the action of enzymes such as proteases, the ability to break the C–N bond of amides using synthetic chemistry remains a challenge. The modest synthetic utility of amides as electrophiles can be traced to their low reactivity, which in turn is derived from the well-known resonance stability of amides. This proposal targets a new strategy to harness amide functional groups as synthons, which relies on the unprecedented nickel-catalyzed activation of amide C–N bonds. Preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility and mildness of this unique approach for the construction of C–heteroatom and C–C bonds. Our studies aim to establish the scope and limitations of this new methodology for the construction of important linkages, including sp2–sp3 C–C bonds with stereodefined quaternary centers. These efforts provide new opportunities in the area of strong bond activation by nickel catalysis, along with new tools for the manipulation of amides via C–N bond cleavage.