Alkene-Assisted Nickel-Catalyzed Regioselective 1,4-Addition of Organoboronic Acid to Dienones: A Direct Route to All-Carbon Quaternary Centers

A nickel-catalyzed highly regioselective 1,4-addition reaction of boronic acids to dienones to form products with an all-carbon quaternary center is described. The 3-alkenyl group of dienones is the key for the reaction to proceed smoothly. A mechanism involving the coordination of the dienyl group to the nickel center is proposed