Palladium/magnesium-lanthanum mixed oxide catalyst in the Heck reaction

A new, reusable palladium/magnesium-lanthanum mixed oxide catalyst has been found to exhibit unprecedented high catalytic activity and selectivity for the heterogeneous Heck cross-coupling reaction of aryl halides with alkenes. The nature of the aryl halides has a determinate effect on the reaction yield. The corresponding reactions of a wide range of activated and non-activated aryl bromides and chlorides furnished the arylated product with high E/Z isomer ratios even already at 80 degrees C. The stereoselectivity depended on the nature of the olefins.