Nickel-Catalyzed Deoxygenation of Oxiranes: Conversion of Epoxides to Alkenes

Abstract Deoxygenation of epoxides takes place under the catalysis of nickel in the presence of diethylzinc as a deoxygenation agent to yield alkenes. Epoxides with a wide variety of substitution patterns are deoxygenated in this catalytic system to give terminal, 1,1-disubstituted, 1,2-disubstituted, trisubstituted, and tetrasubstituted alkenes in high yields. Reactions of 1,2-disubstituted epoxides we examined proceeded in an E-stereoselective manner. High compatibility with other functional groups through this transformation was also observed.