Isolation of an [SNS]Pd(II) pincer with a water ladder and its Suzuki coupling activity in water

A water-compatible Pd(II) pincer with a hybrid [SNS]-donor set, [(LPdCl)-Pd-1]Cl center dot 2H(2)O [L-1=bis-(2-(i-butylsulfanyl)-ethyl)-amine] has been isolated and crystallographically characterized; its solid lattice at 223 K contains a ladder-like water polymer of tetramers and extensive H-bonding exists among the cation, anion and water cluster, and this water-soluble complex is active in Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of phenylboronic acid and selected aryl bromides in water at 75 degrees C.