Suzuki-Miyaura, alpha-ketone arylation and dehalogenation reactions catalyzed by a versatile N-heterocyclic carbene-palladacycle complex

[GRAPHICS]The activity of the complex (IPr)PdCl(eta(2)-N,C-C12H7NMe2), 1 [IPr = (N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-imidazol)-2-ylidene], in the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction involving unactivated aryl chlorides and triflates with arylboronic acids at room temperature in technical, grade 2-propanol is described. These conditions allow for the synthesis of di- and tri-ortho-substituted biaryls in very short reaction times. This complex also displays very high activity for (x-ketone arylation and dehalogenation reactions of activated and unactivated aryl chlorides.