N,C-Disubstituted Biarylpalladacycles as Precatalysts for ppm Pd-Catalyzed Cross Couplings in Water under Mild Conditions

Various monosubstitution and disubstitution patterns on the parent biarylamine skeleton characteristic of palladacycles, as well as the counterion effect, have been studied while looking for ways to increase the effectiveness of the catalyst formed under micellar catalysis conditions in water, with the goal of reducing the amount of Pd needed for coupling reactions. Several substituted palladacycles containing readily accessible ligands were chosen for evaluation. The results indicate that (1) preactivation of Pd(II) salts as precursors for Suzuki-Miyaura (SM) couplings via treatment with a reducing agent is not required; (2) reactions could be performed with approximately half the loading of Pd, relative to that previously required based on a combination of a Pd(II) salt and ligand; and (3) the most effective palladacycle precatalyst has been identified as that containing an isopropyl group on both an aryl ring and on nitrogen, together with the ligand EvanPhos and triflate as the counterion (P13). This precatalyst is also effective in other C-C bond-forming reactions, such as Heck and Sonogashira couplings. No organic solvents were needed for these processes, while the aqueous reaction medium could be recycled several times. A one -pot, fourstep sequence involving Suzuki-Miyaura, reduction, alkylation, and acylation reactions highlights the potential for this precatalyst to maximize synthetic gain while minimizing costs and waste generation.