An N-C-N pincer palladium complex as an efficient catalyst precursor for the Heck reaction

The Heck reaction of iodobenzene and methyl acrylate took place smoothly in NMP at 140degreesC in the presence of 1 mol ppb of the pincer palladium complex [4-tert-butyl-2,6-bis((3R,7aS)-2-phenylhexahydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-c]imidazole-1-on-3-yl]-phenyl]chloropalladium to give methyl cinnamate which corresponds to 520 x 10(6) TON and 6500/sec TOF.