Nickel-promoted highly regioselective carboxylation of aryl ynol ether and its application to the synthesis of chiral β-aryloxypropionic acid derivatives.

Nickel(0)-promoted carboxylation of aryl ynol ether proceeded in a highly regioselective manner to produce α-substituted-β-aryloxyacrylic acid derivatives. The α-substituted-β-aryloxyacrylic acids were transformed into the corresponding β-aryloxypropionic acid derivative as an optically active form via rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation.