Mesoporous MCM-41 supported N-heterocyclic carbene-Pd(II) complex for Suzuki coupling reaction

A nanostructured mesoporous MCM-41 supported N-heterocyclic carbene-Pd (NHC-Pd) complex was prepared through the reaction of an ionic liquid immobilized onto MCM-41 with palladium acetate. The MCM-41-supported NHC-Pd complex could serve as a highly effective catalyst for the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction under aqueous conditions. Furthermore, the Pd(II) catalyst was recovered by a simple filtration from the reaction mixture and reused without a significant loss of its catalytic activity. The heterogeneous catalyst was also air-stable and thermally stable to allow its easy use.