Enantioselective α-hydrazination of α-fluoro-β-ketoesters catalyzed by chiral nickel complexes

The catalytic enantioselective electrophilic α-hydrazination promoted by chiral nickel complexes is described. Treatment of α-fluoro-β-ketoesters with azodicarboxylates as electrophilic amination reagents under mild reaction conditions afforded the corresponding α-amino α-fluoro-β-ketoesters with high yields (80–96%) and enantioselectivities (up to 78% ee).