NHC ligand-enabled Ni-catalyzed reductive coupling of alkynes and imines using isopropanol as a reductant

A nickel-catalyzed reductive coupling of alkynes and imines using readily available isopropanol as the reducing agent was developed. The use of a sterically bulky and electron-rich carbene ligand (AnIPr) significantly promotes the reaction, providing various multi-substituted allylic amines in 23-89% yield and the corresponding chiral ligand (AnIPr-3) can afford the products in 51-95% ee.