Kinetically-Controlled Ni-Catalyzed Direct Carboxylation of Unactivated Secondary Alkyl Bromides without Chain Walking

Abstract

Herein, we report the direct carboxylation of unactivated secondary alkyl bromides enabled by the merger of photoredox and nickel catalysis, a previously inaccessible endeavor in the carboxylation arena. Site-selectivity is dictated by a kinetically controlled insertion of CO2 at the initial C(sp3)–Br site by the rapid formation of Ni(I)–alkyl species, thus avoiding undesired β-hydride elimination and chain-walking processes. Preliminary mechanistic experiments reveal the subtleties of stereoelectronic effects for guiding the reactivity and site-selectivity.