Mechanistic studies of nickel(II)-catalyzed direct alcoholysis of 8-aminoquinoline amides

This paper describes the mechanistic aspects of nickel(II)-catalyzed direct alcoholysis of 8-aminoquinoline amides. Kinetic experiments suggested that the nickel(II) catalyst existed in an oligomeric form in the resting state, and the 8-aminoquinoline generated after cleavage coordinated to the nickel(II) catalyst to decelerate the reaction. In addition, density functional theory calculations revealed that the reactions proceeded via the intermediate with N,N,O-tridentate coordination of 8-aminoquinoline amides to the nickel(II) metal center, and that the alcoholysis reaction did not involve deprotonation of the N-H bond of 8-aminoquinoline amides, in contrast to the proposed mechanism for C-H bond functionalization reactions of 8-aminoquinoline amides.