Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Alkylation of Pyridines via C–N Bond Activation

In this work, we utilized 2-pyridylpyridones as substrates for a reductive transformation with alkyl bromides via C-N bond activation through a Ni-catalyzed cross-electrophile coupling platform to efficiently construct 2-alkylpyridines at room temperature. The reaction allowed the use of a variety of sensitive electronic substituents on both coupling agents. Yields up to 95% can be achieved using a wide array of pyridylpyridones as pyridyl precursors. In addition, applications in the late-stage functionalization of natural products and drugs enhanced its potential.