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The incorporation of carbon dioxide into nonactivated alkynes catalyzed by elect regenerated nickel-bipyridinc complexes affords a,0-unsaturated acids in moderate to good yields. The electrocarboxylation reaction was undertaken on a preparative scale in the presence of a sacrificial magnesium anode: the formation of acids from alkynes is stoichiometric with respect to the nickel complex if performed in a two-compartment cell but can be made catalytic in a single-compartment cell. An intermediate nickelacycle was isolated from the reaction with 4-octyne. The cleavage of this metallacyde by magnesium ions is the key step to explain catalysis.

The electrochemical reduction of a mixture of aryl halides and activated alkyl halides in DMF in the presence of catalytic amount of NiBr(2)bipy leads to cross-coupling products in good to high yields. The method applies to the synthesis of alpha-aryl ketones, alpha-aryl esters, and allylated compounds from readily available organic halides. Optimization of the process has been obtained by slowly adding the most reactive organic halide (usually the activated alkyl halide) during the electrolysis which is best conducted at 70 degrees C when aryl bromides are involved.