Ni-Catalyzed Electrophile Driven Regioselective Arylative Cyclization of Ortho-Functional Diaryl Acetylenes for Pyridine and Indene Derivatives

A regioselective carbonickelation followed by cyclization, an arylative cyclization, of ortho functional diaryl acetylenes is achieved apparently through an electrophile driven alkyne polarization. A series of selectively substituted di aryl isoquinoline, pyridine and indene derivatives are thus accessed from diarylacetylenes with azide, carbonyl and cyanide tethers.