Unwringing the ring: Methylenecyclopropanes reacted with vinyl and aryl Grignard reagents in the presence of a nickel catalyst to afford vinyl‐ and arylmagnesation products, respectively, through a selective CC bondcleavage (see scheme). The reaction provides a new method for the preparation of substituted homoallyl and allyl Grignard reagents.
Nickel-catalyzed reactions of methylenecyclopropanes and thioanhydrides afford sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds via [1+4] cycloaddition. The reactions represent a new use for methylenecyclopropane as a possible one-carbon building block to replace carbon monoxide, isocyanides, and Fischer carbene complexes.