Many useful transition-metal-catalyzed reactions depend
on the
migratory insertion of an alkyne into a metal–carbon bond.
Steric effects, electronic effects, and coordinating directing groups
have all been shown to control product distributions in reactions
in which this is the regioselectivity-determining step. This study
describes how both steric and electronic parameters
influence regioselectivity within a previously disclosed Ni-catalyzed
indenone synthesis reaction. Steric repulsion determines the overall
sense of regioselectivity, and to some extent the magnitude, while
electronic effects can also significantly alter the magnitude of the
observed regioselectivity. The relationship between alkyne insertion
regioselectivity and the electronic character of the migrating aryl
group is demonstrated via comparisons with established electronic
substituent constants (σ+ values). These observations
will aid in the understanding and development of other regioselective
alkyne carbofunctionalization reactions.
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