A catalytic amount of a nickel complex (0.1–5.3 mol%) extraordinarily increases the reaction rate of the addition of dialkylzinc reagents to N-(diphenylphosphinoyl)-or N- (benzenesulfonyl) imines. The reaction of imines derived from both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes with various dialkylzinc reagents in the presence of several nickel complexes gives the expected addition products in most cases in 1h and in very good yields. In ...
