Ruben Martin, Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), Tarragona, Spain, and colleagues have developed a novel, mild, and user-friendly Ni-catalyzed regiodivergent carboxylation of allyl acetates with CO₂. This operationally simple method is the first regiodivergent catalytic reductive coupling of allyl electrophiles. Moreover, the protocol provides consistent evidence that the ligand dictates the selectivity pattern.

According to the researchers, this study will lead to new knowledge in catalyst design using unconventional ligand backbones.

• Ligand-Controlled Regiodivergent Ni-Catalyzed Reductive Carboxylation of Allyl Esters with CO₂,
  Toni Moragas, Josep Cornella, Ruben Martin,
  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014.
  DOI: 10.1021/ja509077a