Triaryl phosphine-functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene ligands for Heck reaction

A new type of triaryl phosphine-functionalized imidazolium salts 6 were prepared. Their palladium complexes, generated in situ, were successfully applied in the palladium-catalyzed Heck reaction. Using 1 mol% of Pd(dba)(2) and 10 mol% 6c in the presence of 2 equiv of K2CO3 in DMAc has proven to be highly efficient for the coupling of a wide array of aryl bromides and iodides with acrylates in excellent yield. The coupling of 4-bromotoluene with various styrene derivatives catalyzed by Pd/6c complex also gave good results. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.