Nickel-catalyzed reductive methylation of alkyl halides and acid chlorides with methyl p-tosylate.

Methylation of unactivated alkyl halides and acid chlorides under Ni-catalyzed reductive coupling conditions led to efficient formation of methylated alkanes and ketones using methyl p-methyl tosylate as the methylation reagent. Moderate to excellent coupling yields as well as excellent functional group tolerance were observed under the present mild and easy-to-operate reaction conditions.