Nickel-catalyzed Ring-opening Cross-coupling of Cyclic Alkenyl Ethers with Arylboronic Esters via Carbon–Oxygen Bond Cleavage

We have developed a nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of cyclic alkenyl ethers with arylboronic esters that leads to the formation of unsaturated alcohols via ring-opening by the cleavage of a C(sp2)–O bond. The use of 1,3-dicyclohexylimidazol-2-ylidene as the ligand is essential to promote this cross-coupling process.