Evaluating 1,1′-Bis(phosphino)ferrocene Ancillary Ligand Variants in the Nickel-Catalyzed C–N Cross-Coupling of (Hetero)aryl Chlorides

Abstract

Previous reports in the literature have established the utility of 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (DPPF, LPh) in the nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling of (hetero)aryl electrophiles with primary or secondary amines. In an effort to evaluate the effect of varying the PR2-donor groups on catalytic performance in such transformations, a series of 10 structurally varied 1,1′-bis(bis(alkyl/aryl)phosphino)ferrocene ancillary ligands (LX) were systematically examined in selected competitive test cross-couplings of (hetero)aryl halides with furfurylamine, morpholine, and indole employing Ni(COD)2/LX catalyst mixtures. In addition to the excellent performance observed for the parent ligand LPh in a number of the test transformations explored, selected dialkylphosphino (e.g., DiPPF, LiPr) and meta-disubstituted diarylphosphino variants of LPh also proved highly effective. In particular, the electron-deficient ligand variant LCF3 featuring 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl groups on phosphorus was found to exhibit s...