Highly effective activation of aryl chlorides for Suzuki coupling in aqueous media using a ferrocene-based Pd(II) diimine catalyst

The Suzuki coupling of aryl chlorides with boronic acids using a ferrocene-containing Pd(II)-diimine complex as catalyst, in aqueous media, under microwave heating is reported. A small amount of the catalyst (0.1%) was found to be highly effective for coupling unactivated aryl chlorides with boronic acids to form sterically hindered ortho-substituted biaryls. The same catalyst also enabled the coupling of aryl bromides and iodides with various boronic acids in very high yields. The catalyst is air stable and the catalytic reaction can be completed in 15 min. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.The authors thank the Research Board of Zonguldak Karaelmas University (BAP-2010-13-02-02, BAP-2011-10-03-11 and BAP-2011-10-03-012), the Spanish Government (projects MAT2009-14564-C01) and the Generalitat Valenciana (project PROMETEO/2009/016) for support.Hanhan, EM.; Martínez Mañez, R.; Ros-Lis, JV. (2012). Highly effective activation of aryl chlorides for Suzuki coupling in aqueous media using a ferrocene-based Pd(II) diimine catalyst. Tetrahedron Letters. 53(19):2388-2391. doi:10.1016/j.tetlet.2012.02.102S23882391531