# Nickel Catalyzed Electrochemical C-C Cross-Coupling Reactions

> **NIH NIH R15** · UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $436,964

## Abstract

Project Summary. This proposal describes the collaborative research activities by Liu (PI) and Ess (co-PI)
towards developing highly effective, sustainable, green Nickel (Ni) catalyzed electrochemical cross-coupling
reactions for synthetic applications in making pharmaceuticals and bioactive molecules, and integrated education
activities aimed at promoting research experiences of undergraduate, and graduate students. Special emphases
will be placed on attracting and training underrepresented Native American students. The new knowledge
obtained from this proposed research will provide guidance in developing competent and atomically economic
electrosynthesis approaches for their utilization in developing pharmaceuticals and bioactive molecules, thereby
enhancing human health and enabling the sustainable development of our society.
 Herein, we propose that redox neutral electrochemical C?C cross-coupling reactions can be accomplished
in an undivided cell configuration using bench-stable electrophiles (aryl halide, alkenyl halides, and alkynyl
halides) and nucleophiles (organic trifluoroborate, carboxylates, and amines), non-precious, bench-stable
catalysts consisting of a NiII pre-catalyst and polypyridine ligands under ambient conditions. Preliminary studies
have confirmed the broad reaction scope and good yields of the Ni-catalyzed electrochemical coupling reactions
by 50 examples of aryl/β-styrenyl chloride/bromide and benzyl trifluoroborates. Their potential applications were
demonstrated by electrosynthesis and late-stage functionalization of pharmaceuticals, natural amino acid
modification, and scalable synthesis using a flow-cell electrolyzer.
 In the future, we plan to expand the substrate scopes of both electrophiles and nucleophiles and further
develop the flow-cell electrolyzer technology to achieve optimal reaction efficiency and scalable synthesis. In
addition, we will conduct comprehensive experimental and computational studies to gain in-depth mechanistic
understandings. This electrochemical C?C cross-coupling paradigm is expected to be highly productive and
atomically economic and will find wide-spread applications in developing pharmaceuticals and bioactive
molecules. The knowledge gained will have broad impacts on developing other metal based (e.g. Fe, and Co)
and even metal free electrochemical C-C, C-N, and C-O, and C-S coupling reactions and other electrochemical
organic transformations. In addition, this proposal will provide rich research opportunities for undergraduate
students (particularly for Native American undergraduate students) that will enlarge their career vision in health
sciences. This AREA grant is essential to the PI’s lab and to providing research and mentoring opportunities for
undergraduate and graduate students.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10291901
- **Project number:** 1R15GM143721-01
- **Recipient organization:** UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Michelle A. Baker
- **Activity code:** R15 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $436,964
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10291901

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10291901, Nickel Catalyzed Electrochemical C-C Cross-Coupling Reactions (1R15GM143721-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10291901. Licensed CC0.

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