Nickel-Catalyzed Aromatic C–H Functionalization

Catalytic C–H functionalization using transition metals has received significant interest from organic chemists because it provides a new strategy to construct carbon–carbon bonds and carbon–heteroatom bonds in highly functionalized, complex molecules without pre-functionalization. Recently, inexpensive catalysts based on transition metals such as copper, iron, cobalt, and nickel have seen more use in the laboratory. This review describes recent progress in nickel-catalyzed aromatic C–H functionalization reactions classified by reaction types and reaction partners. Furthermore, some reaction mechanisms are described and cutting-edge syntheses of natural products and pharmaceuticals using nickel-catalyzed aromatic C–H functionalization are presented.