Nickel-Catalyzed Desulfonylative Reductive Cross-Coupling of Aryl Sulfones with Aryl Bromides

Herein, a nickel catalysis system for desulfonylative C(sp2)–C(sp2) reductive cross-coupling reactions of aryl sulfone derivatives with a range of aryl bromides has been established to form diverse biaryl compounds. The complex Ar–Ni(II)–SO2CF3 bearing a phosphine ligand through oxidative addition of aryl sulfone to Ni(0) species was isolated and confirmed by an X-ray, which provides solid evidence for the understanding of the C(Ar)–SO2 bond activation and reaction mechanism.