Nickel N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst for cross-coupling of neopentyl arenesulfonates with methyl and primary alkyl grignard reagents.

Nickel N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalytic system prepared in situ by the reaction of Ni(acac)(2) with NHC precursor efficiently catalyzed the cross-coupling reaction of alkoxysulfonylarenes with methyl, neopentyl, and benzyl Grignard reagents at ambient temperature.