Nickel-Catalyzed Transesterification of Methyl Esters

Abstract A transesterification of methyl esters with aliphatic alcohols was developed using Ni/dcype catalysis. This reaction features the cleavage of the strong C(acyl)–OMe bond in the absence of acidic or basic additives, providing volatile methanol as the only stoichiometric waste product. A wide range of (hetero)aromatic and aliphatic methyl esters can be converted into the corresponding functionalized esters in good to excellent yields with high efficiency. Compared with traditional transesterifications, this cross-coupling approach offers new opportunities for efficient and chemoselective synthesis.