Nickel catalyzed cross Suzuki-Miyaura coupling

For the synthesis of the non-diene analogue 65, which bears a benzyl group in the terminal position (Scheme 17), 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone (DDQ) cleavage of the p-methoxybenzyl (PMB) ether at the C15-position did not proceed in the presence of the benzyl moiety (oxidation of the methylene in allylic-benzylic-position in C23-position). Therefore, we inverted the order of the first two steps (1) DDQ deprotection on 44 and (2) nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction performed on a free primary alcohol in C15 position. After this minor modification, completion of the synthesis followed the established route Suzuki-Miyaura crosscoupling reaction between alkyl iodide 73 (via its trialkylboronate species) and vinyl iodide 60 to yield 74 selective carbamate installation and final deprotection to afford DDM analogue 65. 

The nickel-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura-type C-O bond arylation has been successfully applied to steroidal architecture (Scheme 4). A hydroxyl moiety in estrone can readily be substituted by an array of aryl groups under nickel catalysis via conversion into pivalate instead of the typically used triflate [38]. The carbonyl moiety in estrone also serves as a suitable precursor for an alkenyl C-O electrophile. Treatment of estrone with 2-propenyl acetate affords the compounds bearing two acetate groups, both of which are potentially reactive toward nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling. However, selective arylation took place at the alkenyl position, and... 

Other successful examples of catalysts containing NHC ligands are found in palladium- and nickel-catalyzed carbon-carbon bond formations. The catalyst development with these metals has focused in particular on Heck-type reactions, especially the Mizoroki-Heck reaction itself [Eq. (42)] and various cross coupling reactions [Eq. (43)], e.g., the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction ([M] = and the Kumada-Corriu reaction ([M] = MgBr). " Related reactions like the Sonogashira coupling [Eq. (44)]326-329 Buchwald-... 

Han F-S. Transition-metal-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions a remarkable advance from palladium to nickel catalysts. Chem Soc Rev. 2013 42 5270-5298. 

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