Highly nucleophilic vitamin B12-assisted nickel-catalysed reductive coupling of aryl halides and non-activated alkyl tosylates

Abstract

Reductive cross-coupling of aryl halides with ubiquitous alkyl tosylates was developed using a combination of nickel and vitamin B₁₂ (VB₁₂: cyanocobalamin) catalysts. The tosylate was activated by reduced VB₁₂ to form alkyl cobalt(III), which served as a good alkylating agent for aryl-nickel species, leading to C(sp³)–C(sp²) bond formation.