Nickel( O )‐Catalyzed Preparation of Isomeric Carboxamides Ligand‐Controlled β‐H or β′‐H Elimination

Isocyanates and monosubstituted alkenes undergo CC bond formation on (Lig)NiO to give azanickelacycles such as 1. Variation of the ligands (Lig) and exploitation of steric and/or electronic effects allows either the β-H atom on the ring or the exocyclic β′-H atom to be activated; in the ensuing reactions, the two isomeric carboxamides 2 and 3 are formed catalytically with high selectivity.