Ni-Catalyzed Oxygen Transfer from NO onto sp-Hybridized Carbons.

Herein we disclose a catalytic synthesis of cycloalkanols that harnesses the potential of NO as an oxygen transfer agent onto sp-hybridized carbons. The protocol is distinguished by its mild conditions and wide substrate scope, thus offering an opportunity to access carbocyclic compounds from simple precursors even in an enantioselective manner. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that the oxygen insertion event occurs at an alkylnickel species and that NO is the O transfer reagent.

Catalytic synthesis of phenols with nitrous oxide.

The development of catalytic chemical processes that enable the revalorization of nitrous oxide (NO) is an attractive strategy to alleviate the environmental threat posed by its emissions. Traditionally, NO has been considered an inert molecule, intractable for organic chemists as an oxidant or O-atom transfer reagent, owing to the harsh conditions required for its activation (>150 °C, 50‒200 bar). Here we report an insertion of NO into a Ni‒C bond under mild conditions (room temperature, 1.