Pd(OAc)2@SBA-15/PrEn nanoreactor: a highly active, reusable and selective phosphine-free catalyst for Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction in aqueous media

A series of ordered mesoporous organic-inorganic hybrid material was designed by using the amine-functionalized SBA-15 (PdX2@SBA-15/NY, Y=1, 2) as solid support for palladium complexes. Among them, the Pd(OAc)2/ethylenediamine complex encapsulated into SBA-15 (Pd(OAc)2@SBA-15/PrEn or Pd(OAc)2@SBA-15/PrNHEtNH2) exhibits higher activity and selectivity toward Suzuki cross-coupling reaction under aerobic conditions and water solvent mixture. The SBA-15/PrEn supported palladium pre-catalyst could be separated easily from reaction products and used repetitively several times, showing its superiority over homogeneous catalysts for industrial and chemical applications. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.