Dual Photoredox and Nickel Catalysed Reductive Coupling of Alkynes and Aldehydes

Abstract A regioselective vinylation of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes promoted by the merging of photoredox and nickel catalysis is here reported. A comprehensive investigation on the reaction conditions allowed the disclosure of a valid and reproducible protocol based on a nickel‐mediated reductive coupling approach under visible light irradiation. The employment of 3CzClIPN (2,4,6‐tris(carbazol‐9‐yl)‐5‐chloro‐isophthalonitrile) as the photocatalyst and Hantzsch's ester as the sacrificial organic reductant replace the use of boron‐, silicon‐ or zinc‐based reducing agents, making this method a worthy alternative to the already known protocols. The developed mild reaction conditions allow the access to a wide range of substituents decorating both the aldehyde and the alkyne. Moreover, careful photophysical investigations shed light on the mechanism of the reaction. magnified image