Beyond Aresta's complex: Ni- and Pd-catalyzed organozinc coupling with CO2

Organozinc reagents are widely used in organic synthesis due primarily to their high functional group compatibility. However, under mild conditions, these organometallic reagents do not react directly with CO2, the ideal C1 source for organic synthesis. Herein, we report that both Ni and Pd complexes can catalyze the addition of organozinc reagents to CO2 under mild conditions (1 atm CO2, 0 degrees C). This transformation represents an important extension of the Negishi cross-coupling and is believed to occur via a novel mechanism involving Aresta's complex and/or its corresponding Pd analogue.