Tris[tri(2-thienyl)phosphine] palladium as the catalyst precursor for thiophene-based Suzuki-Miyaura crosscoupling and polycondensation

Zero-valent palladium complex, Pd(PTh3)(3), with three tri(2-thienyl)phosphine ligands was prepared and characterized. Pd(PTh3)(3) is superior to Pd(PPh3)(4) in catalyzing Suzuki-Miyaura coupling and polymerization of thiophene-based derivatives. The Suzuki polycondensation of 3-hexyl-5-iodothiophene-2-boronic pinacol ester with Pd(PTh3)(3) as the catalyst precursor afforded high-molecular-weight P3HT with high regularity and yield. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.