Mimics of Pincer Ligands: An Accessible Phosphine-Free N-(Pyrimidin-2-yl)-1,2-azole-3-carboxamide Framework for Binuclear Pd(II) Complexes and High-Turnover Catalysis in Water

We report for the first time cyclic phosphine-free head to tail N,N,N pincer-like (pincer complexes mimicking) N-(pyrimidin-2-yl)-1,2-azole-3-carboxamide Pd(II) complexes with deprotonated amide groups as high-turnover catalysts (TON up to 10(6), TOF up to 1.2 x 10(7) h(-1)) for cross-coupling reactions on the background of up to quantitative yields under Green Chemistry conditions. The potency of the described catalyst family representatives was demonstrated in Suzuki-Miyaura, Mizoroki-Heck, and Sonogashira reactions on industrially practical examples. Corresponding ligands could be synthesized based on readily available reagents through simple chemical transformations. Within the complex structures, a highly unusual 1,3,5,7-tetraza-2,6-dipalladocane frame could be observed.