Hua Zhang, Shinya Hagihara, and Kenichiro Itami

Chem. Lett. 2015, ASAP. DOI: 10.1246/cl.150154

The first nickel-catalyzed aromatic C–H borylation is described. In the presence of catalytic amounts of Ni(cod)2, tricyclopentylphosphine, and CsF, benzene and indole derivatives can be borylated with B2pin2. The N-heterocyclic carbene IPr was also found to be an effective ligand. The kinetic isotope effect experiments showed that C–H cleavage is likely involved in the rate-determining step.