Nickel-Catalyzed Asymmetric Reductive Cross-Coupling between Heteroaryl Iodides and α-Chloronitriles.

A Ni-catalyzed asymmetric reductive cross-coupling of heteroaryl iodides and α-chloronitriles has been developed. This method furnishes enantioenriched α,α-disubstituted nitriles from simple organohalide building blocks. The reaction tolerates a variety of heterocyclic coupling partners, including pyridines, pyrimidines, quinolines, thiophenes, and piperidines. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions at room temperature and precludes the need to pregenerate organometallic nucleophiles.