Ni-catalysed regioselective 1,2-diarylation of unactivated olefins by stabilizing Heck intermediates as pyridylsilyl-coordinated transient metallacycles

We report a Ni-catalysed diarylation of unactivated olefins in dimethylpyridylvinylsilane by intercepting Heck C(sp³)-NiX intermediates, derived from aryl halides, with arylzinc reagents. This approach utilizes a modifiable pyridylsilyl moiety as a coordinating group that plays a dual role of intercepting oxidative addition species to promote Heck carbometallation, and stabilizing the Heck C(sp³)-NiX intermediates as transient metallacycles to suppress β-hydride elimination, and facilitate transmetalation/reductive elimination. This method affords 1,2-diarylethylsilanes, which can be readily oxidized to 1,2-diarylethanols that occur as structural motifs in 3-aryl-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin and dihydrostilbenoid natural products.