Nickel(0)‐Catalyzed Hydroalkenylation of Imines with Styrene and Its Derivatives

A nickel(0)‐catalyzed hydroalkenylation of imines with styrene and its derivatives is described. A wide range of aromatic and aliphatic imines directly coupled with styrene and its derivatives, thus providing various synthetically useful allylic amines with up to 95 % yield. The reaction offers a new atom‐ and step‐economical approach to allylic amines by using alkenes instead of alkenyl‐metallic reagents. Experiments and DFT calculations showed that TsNH2 promotes the proton transfer from the coordinated olefin to the imine, accompanied by a new C−C bond formation. In the nick of time: A nickel(0)‐catalyzed hydroalkenylation of imines with styrene and its derivatives is reported. The reaction offers a new atom‐ and step‐economical approach to allylic amines by using alkenes instead of alkenylmetal reagents. PG=protecting group, Ts=4‐toluenesulfonyl.