Nickel-catalyzed direct carboxylation of olefins with CO2 : one-pot synthesis of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid salts

The nickel-catalyzed direct carboxylation of alkenes with the cheap and abundantly available C1 building block carbon dioxide (CO2 ) in the presence of a base has been achieved. The one-pot reaction allows for the direct and selective synthesis of a wide range of α,β-unsaturated carboxylates (TON>100, TOF up to 6 h(-1) , TON=turnover number, TOF=turnover frequency). Thus, it is possible, in one step, to synthesize sodium acrylate from ethylene, CO2 , and a sodium salt. Acrylates are industrially important products, the synthesis of which has hitherto required multiple steps.