Nickel-catalyzed enantioselective C–H functionalization

Abstract

Nickel, a cost-effective and abundant 3d metal, has been widely used in asymmetric catalysis due to its unique redox properties. However, its application in enantioselective C–H activation has historically lagged behind noble metals. Significant progress has only been made recently, driven by innovations in ligand design and mechanistic understanding. This feature article provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in nickel-catalyzed enantioselective C–H functionalization. This review is structured into two sections according to the catalytic nickel species, covering both nickel(0) catalysis—including systems leveraging SPO and NHC ligands—and nickel(II) catalysis, which utilizes BINOL and Salox chiral ligands.