New directions in Ni-catalyzed cross coupling

A central theme of our work is the demonstration that Ni can intercept common reactive intermediates in organic chemistry to effect previously inaccessible C(sp3)–C bond forming reactions. These electrophiles include iminium ions, oxocarbenium ions, aziridines, and carbon-centered radicals. This lecture will describe recent examples of synthetic methodology development and accompanying mechanistic studies from my group. In many cases, development of these methods has required the design and application of novel ligands because repurposing those designed for precious metal catalysts has failed. I will describe mechanistic studies to elucidate the role of these ligands in Ni catalysis.