A new method for translating the asymmetric Ni/Cr-mediated coupling reactions from stoichiometric to catalytic.
[reaction: see text] A new method has been developed for effectively translating the degree of asymmetric induction and the chemical yield achieved in the stoichiometric asymmetric Ni/Cr-mediated coupling to a catalytic asymmetric process via a chiral sulfonamide ligand. It has also been shown that the Ni catalyst plays a central role. Among a number of the Ni catalysts, the 2,9-dimethylphenanthroline/NiCl(2) complex (7) has been found to be the most effective.