Nickel-Catalyzed Arylation of C(sp³)–O Bonds in Allylic Alkyl Ethers with Organoboron Compounds

A nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling of allylic alkyl ethers with organoboron compounds through the cleavage of the inert C­(sp³)-O­(alkyl) bonds is described. Several types of allylic alkyl ethers can be coupled with various boronic acids or their derivatives to give the corresponding products in good to excellent yields with wide functional group tolerance and excellent regioselectivity. The gram-scale reaction and late-stage modification of biologically active compounds further prove the practicality of this synthetic method.