A new PEPPSI type N-heterocyclic carbene palladium(II) complex and its efficiency as a catalyst for Mizoroki-Heck cross-coupling reactions in water

A new air and moisture stable PEPPSI (PEPPSI: pyridine-enhanced pre-catalyst preparation, stabilisation, and initiation) themed palladium N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complex [Pd(L)Br₂(Py)] (1) [L: 2-flurobenzyl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1H-imidazolline-2-ylidene] was synthesized and characterized. The structure of complex 1 was determined by X-ray single-crystal analysis. The palladium center in 1 adopted a square planar geometry with carbene and pyridine ligands occupying the mutual trans position. The complex 1 was employed to catalyze the Mizoroki-Heck cross-coupling reactions of aryl bromides/iodides with styrene in water. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report where a Pd-PEPPSI catalyst was successfully employed in aqueous-phase Mizoroki-Heck reaction. Good to excellent yields of cross-coupling products were obtained with a range of representative aryl bromides/iodides under relatively mild conditions (100 °C, 1 mol% of 1).

Graphic abstract

A new palladium PEPPSI complex was synthesized, characterized and evaluated as catalyst for the Mizoroki-Heck reaction in aqueous medium. Both electron-donating and electron-withdrawing aryl halides (bromides and iodides) reacted with styrene to give corresponding coupling products in moderate to excellent yields.