N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes in Dehalogenation Reactions

Catalytic dehalogenation represents an underdeveloped transformation in M–NHC chemistry with a small number of reports detailing the reactivity of Co, Ru, Ni and Pd catalysts. In situ generated nickel and palladium NHC complexes catalyse the hydrodechlorination of aryl chlorides. Lower coordinate Ni complexes are proposed to operate in the hydrodefluorination of mono- and poly-fluorinated substrates. The single example of Ru–NHC catalysed hydrodefluorination of fully and partially fluorinated aromatic substrates is characterised by an unusual regioselectivity. The highly regioselective dehydrohalogenation of relatively unreactive alkyl halide substrates is achieved with a cobalt NHC catalyst.