Lewis Acid Assisted Nickel-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Aryl Methyl Ethers by C-O Bond-Cleaving Alkylation: Prevention of Undesired β-Hydride Elimination.

In the presence of trialkylaluminum reagents, diverse aryl methyl ethers can be transformed into valuable products by C-O bond-cleaving alkylation, for the first time without the limiting β-hydride elimination. This new nickel-catalyzed dealkoxylative alkylation method enables powerful orthogonal synthetic strategies for the transformation of a variety of naturally occurring and easily accessible anisole derivatives. The directing and/or activating properties of aromatic methoxy groups are utilized first, before they are replaced by alkyl chains in a subsequent coupling process.