The Ni-catalyzed reductive coupling of alkyl/aryl with other electrophiles has evolved to be an important protocol for the construction of C-C bonds. This chapter first emphasizes the recent progress on the Ni-catalyzed alkylation, arylation/vinylation, and acylation of alkyl electrophiles. A brief overview of CO2 fixation is also addressed. The chemoselectivity between the electrophiles and the reactivity of the alkyl substrates will be detailed on the basis of different Ni-catalyzed conditions and mechanistic perspective. The asymmetric formation of C(sp(3))-C(sp(2)) bonds arising from activated alkyl halides is next depicted followed by allylic carbonylation. Finally, the coupling of aryl halides with other C(sp(2))-electrophiles is detailed at the end of this chapter.

Game of two electrophiles: Two partially positively charged sp(3) carbon atoms can be connected by using a catalytic Ni species in the presence of an environmentally benign Zn reductant, delivering allylated alkanes. This unprecedented approach allowed a variety of unactivated alkyl halides and substituted allylic carbonates to regioselectively afford E-alkenes in good to excellent yields.

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Alkynyl aziridines can be obtained from the catalytic asymmetric aziridination (AZ reaction) of alkynyl imines with diazo compounds in high yields and high asymmetric inductions mediated by a chiral boroxinate or BOROX catalyst. In contrast to the AZ reaction with aryl- and alkyl-substituted imines, alkynyl imines react to give cis-substituted aziridines with both diazo esters and diazo acetamides. Remarkably, however, the two diazo compounds give different enantiomers of the cis-aziridine from the same enantiomer of the catalyst. Theoretical considerations of the possible transition states for the enantiogenic step reveal that the switch in enantiomers results from a switch from Si-face to Re-face addition to the imine, which in turn is related to a switch from reaction with an E-imine in the former and a Z-isomer of the imine in the latter.

A highly diastereoselective and enantioselective method for the multicomponent aziridination of chiral aldehydes has been developed with BOROX catalysts of the VANOL (3,3'-diphenyl-2,2'-bi-1-naphthol) and VAPOL (2,2'-diphenyl-(4-biphenanthrol)) ligands. Very high to perfect catalyst control is observed with most all substrates examined including aldehydes with chiral centers in the α- and β-positions. High catalyst control was also observed for a number of chiral heterocyclic aldehydes allowing for the preparation of epoxy aziridines, bis(aziridines) and ethylene diaziridines. Application of this reaction in the synthesis of β -homo-d-alloisoleucine and β -homo-l-isoleucine is reported.