Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic activity of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) palladacycle complexes

C-H functionalization through benzylic deprotonation with π-coordination or cation-π-interactions

Benzylic C-H functionalization is a valuable tool to make complex aromatic molecules from simple, readily available alkylbenzenes. While methods that involve benzylic radicals or cations generated by hydrogen atom transfer or oxidation have been well demonstrated, they often require oxidative conditions. In contrast, deprotonation methods offer a complementary approach to transform benzylic C-H bonds through a benzylic carbanion generated by deprotonation. Electrophilic transition metal complexes acidify benzylic protons upon π-coordination to the phenyl ring of substrates, facilitating deprotonation by stabilizing the corresponding benzylic carbanion. Cation-complexes with group(I) metals also acidify benzylic C-H bonds. These approaches enable a significant expansion of the scope and diversity of alkylarenes with various electrophilic reagents. In this review, we discuss the development of benzylic functionalization through deprotonation of η6-arene complexes of transition-metals and cation-π interactions with group(I) metals, as well as progress made in catalysis through reversible arene-metal interactions.

Enhancing activity and selectivity of palladium catalysts in ketone α-arylation by tailoring the imine chelate of pyridinium amidate (PYA) ligands

Even though α-arylation of ketones is attractive for direct C-H functionalization of organic substrates, the method largely relies on phosphine-ligated palladium complexes. Only recently, efforts have focused on developing nitrogen-based ligands as a more sustainable alternative to phosphines, with pyridine-functionalized pyridinium amidate (pyr-PYA) N,N'-bidentate ligands displaying good selectivity and activity. Here, we report on a second generation set of catalyst precursors that feature a 5-membered N-heterocycle instead of a pyridine as chelating unit of the PYA ligand to provide less steric congestion for the rate-limiting transmetalation of the enolate. To this end, new heterocycle-functionalized PYA palladium(ii) complexes containing an oxazole (5b), N-phenyl-triazole (5c), N-methyl pyrazole (5d), N-phenyl-pyrazole, (5e), N-xylyl-pyrazole (5f), and N-isopropyl-pyrazole (5g) were synthesized compared to the parent pyr-PYA complex 5a. Less packing of the palladium coordination sphere was evidenced from solid state X-ray diffraction analysis. While the catalytic activity of the oxazole system was lower, all other complexes showed higher activity. In particular, complex 5g comprised of an electron-donating and sterically demanding iPr-pyrazole chelating PYA ligand is remarkably stable towards air and moisture and shows outstanding catalytic activity with complete selectivity (>99% yield) and turnover frequencies up to 1200 h-1, surpassing that of parent 5a by one order of magnitude and rivalling the most active phosphine-based palladium systems. Kinetic studies demonstrate a first order rate-dependence on palladium and the substrate. Some deviation of linearity together with poisoning experiments suggest a mixed homogeneous/heterogeneous pathway, though the reproducible kinetics of in situ catalyst recycling experiments strongly point to a molecularly defined active species, demonstrating the high potential of PYA-based ligands.

The influential IPr: 25 years after its discovery

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have emerged as a privileged ligand family in organometallic chemistry, widely recognized for their unique steric and electronic properties. Among them, the 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazole-2-ylidene (IPr) ligand has become a cornerstone of NHC chemistry for its remarkable versatility, stability, and broad use. Since its discovery by the Nolan group in 1999, IPr has played a pivotal role in advancing catalytic transformations and facilitating the utilization of NHC ligands in various domains. This article highlights major contributions where IPr has helped shape modern organometallic chemistry, with a focus on its influence in transition metal catalysis and ligand design. Twenty five years after its discovery, the IPr ligand continues to be a benchmark ligand, inspiring and driving innovation.

[(NHC)Pd(OAc)2]: Highly Active Carboxylate Pd(II)-NHC (NHC = N-Heterocyclic Carbene) Precatalysts for Suzuki-Miyaura and Buchwald-Hartwig Cross-Coupling of Amides by N-C(O) Activation

In the past eight years, the selective cross-coupling of amides by N-C(O) bond activation has emerged as a highly attractive manifold for the manipulation of traditionally unreactive amide bonds. In this Special Issue on Next-Generation Cross-Coupling Chemistry, we report the Suzuki-Miyaura and Buchwald-Hartwig cross-coupling of amides by selective N-C(O) cleavage catalyzed by bench-stable, well-defined carboxylate Pd(II)-NHC (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) catalysts {[(NHC)Pd(O2CR)2]}. This class of Pd(II)-NHCs promotes cross-coupling under exceedingly mild room-temperature conditions owing to the facile dissociation of the carboxylate ligands to form the active complex. These readily accessible Pd(II)-NHC precatalysts show excellent functional group tolerance and are compatible with a broad range of amide activating groups. Considering the mild conditions for the cross-coupling and the facile access to carboxylate Pd(II)-NHC complexes, we anticipate that this class of bench-stable complexes will find wide application in the activation of amide N-C(O) and related acyl X-C(O) bonds.

The role of the stabilizing/leaving group in palladium catalysed cross-coupling reactions

Despite the widespread use of well-defined PdII complexes as pre-catalysts for cross-coupling processes, the role of the throw-away ligand is still underexplored. In this work we focused on the complexes of the type [Pd(NHC)(η3-R-allyl)Cl] (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) and we investigated the influence of the R substitution on the allyl moiety. Starting from the already described [Pd(IPr)(η3-cinnamyl)Cl] and [Pd(IPr*)(η3-cinnamyl)Cl] (IPr = 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene, IPr* = N,N'-1,3-bis[2,6-bis(diphenylmethyl)-4-methylphenyl]imidazol-2-ylidene) we prepared eight new complexes bearing new substitutions on the cinnamyl motif and we tested them in the C-N bond formation to evaluate the effect of the throw-away ligand modification in the catalytic activity. In addition, we studied the undesired formation of the less active off-cycle [PdI2(NHC)2(η3-R-allyl)(μ-Cl)] dimers from the corresponding PdII complexes to evaluate the role of the new throw-away ligands on the inhibition of this process.

P,N-Coordinating Ylide-Functionalized Phosphines (NYPhos): A Ligand Platform for the Selective Monoarylation of Small Nucleophiles

Palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions of small nucleophiles are of great interest, but challenging due to difficulties in selectivity control. Herein, we report the development of a new platform of P,N-ligands consisting of ylide-functionalized phosphines with aminophosphonium groups (NYPhos) to address this challenge. These phosphine ligands are easily accessible in a wide structural diversity with highly modular electronic and steric properties. Based on a family of 14 ligands the selective monoarylation of acetone as well as other challenging ketones and amides was accomplished with record-setting activities even for aryl chlorides at room temperature including late-stage functionalizations of drug molecules. Moreover, ammonia and other small primary amines could be coupled at mild conditions. Isolation and structure analyses of palladium complexes within the catalytic cycle confirmed that the P,N-coordination mode is necessary to achieve the observed selectivities. It also demonstrated the facile adjustability of the N-donor strength, which is beneficial for the targeted design of tailored P,N-ligands for future applications.

A General Protocol toward Synthesis of 3-Methylindoles Using Acenaphthoimidazolyidene-Ligated Oxazoline Palladacycle

An efficient catalytic strategy toward the synthesis of N-substituted 3-methylindoles from inactive o-dihaloarenes and N-allylamines was developed by using a 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)acenaphthoimidazol-2-ylidene (AnIPr)-ligated oxazoline palladacycle. It enabled a very broad substrate scope tolerating different functional groups, electronic properties, and steric bulkiness and afforded desired products in good to excellent yields. Importantly, it showed great potential to synthesize several bioactive compounds and key intermediates of natural products in high yields.

Highly efficient α-arylation of aryl ketones with aryl chlorides by using bulky imidazolylidene-ligated oxazoline palladacycles

α-Aryl derivatives of carbonyl compounds are important building blocks. Herein, we presented an efficient catalytic system for the α-arylation of aryl ketones with inactive aryl chlorides by firstly using N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-imidazol-2-ylidene (IPr)-ligated chiral oxazoline palladacycles, and tolerated a wide range of substrates at low catalyst loadings, leading to the desired products in good to excellent yields.

A Second-Generation Palladacycle Architecture Bearing a N-Heterocyclic Carbene and Its Catalytic Behavior in Buchwald–Hartwig Amination Catalysis

Palladacyclic architectures have been shown as versatile motifs in cross-coupling reactions. NHC-ligated palladacycles possessing unique electronic and steric properties have helped to stabilize the catalytically active species and provide additional control over reaction selectivity. Here, we report on a synthetic protocol leading to palladacycle complexes using a mild base and an environmentally desirable solvent, with a focus on complexes bearing backbone-substituted N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. The readily accessible complexes exhibit high catalytic activity in the Buchwald–Hartwig amination. This is achieved using low catalyst loading and mild reaction conditions in a green solvent.

Emerging Trends in Cross-Coupling: Twelve-Electron-Based L1Pd(0) Catalysts, Their Mechanism of Action, and Selected Applications

Monoligated palladium(0) species, L1Pd(0), have emerged as the most active catalytic species in the cross-coupling cycle. Today, there are methods available to generate the highly active but unstable L1Pd(0) catalysts from stable precatalysts. While the size of the ligand plays an important role in the formation of L1Pd(0) during in situ catalysis, the latter can be precisely generated from the precatalyst by various technologies. Computational, kinetic, and experimental studies indicate that all three steps in the catalytic cycle─oxidative addition, transmetalation, and reductive elimination─contain monoligated Pd. The synthesis of precatalysts, their mode of activation, application studies in model systems, as well as in industry are discussed. Ligand parametrization and AI based data science can potentially help predict the facile formation of L1Pd(0) species.

Formation of exceptional monomeric YPhos-PdCl2 complexes with high activities in coupling reactions

The use of well-defined palladium(ii) complexes as precatalysts for C-X cross-coupling reactions has improved the use of palladium catalysts in organic synthesis including large-scale processes. Whereas sophisticated Pd(ii) precursors have been developed in the past years to facilitate catalyst activation as well as the handling of systems with more advanced monophosphine ligands, we herein report that simple PdCl₂ complexes function as efficient precatalysts for ylide-substituted phosphines (YPhos). These complexes are readily synthesized from PdCl₂ sources and form unprecedented monomeric PdCl₂ complexes without the need for any additional coligand. Instead, these structures are stabilized through a unique bonding motif, in which the YPhos ligands bind to the metal through the adjacent phosphine and ylidic carbon site. DFT calculations showed that these bonds are both dative interactions with the stronger interaction originating from the electron-rich phosphine donor. This bonding mode leads to a remarkable stability even towards air and moisture. Nonetheless, the complexes readily form monoligated LPd(0) complexes and thus the active palladium(0) species in coupling reactions. Accordingly, the YPhos-PdCl₂ complexes serve as highly efficient precatalysts for a series of C-C and C-X coupling reactions. Despite their simplicity they can compete with the efficiency of more complex and less stable precatalysts.

Metal-catalyzed reactions for the C(sp2)–N bond formation: achievements of recent years

The review deals with the main catalytic methods for the C(sp2)–N bond formation, including Buchwald–Hartwig palladium-catalyzed amination of aryl and heteroaryl halides, renaissance of the Ullmann chemistry, i.e., the application of catalysis by copper complexes to form the carbon–nitrogen bond, and Chan–Lam reactions of (hetero)arylboronic acids with amines. Also, oxidative amination with C–H activation, which has been booming during the last decade, is addressed. Particular attention is paid to achievements in the application of heterogenized catalysts.

The bibliography includes 350 references.

N-Heterocyclic carbene complexes enabling the α-arylation of carbonyl compounds

The considerable importance of α-arylated carbonyl compounds, which are widely used as final products or as key intermediates in the pharmaceutical industry, has prompted numerous research groups to develop efficient synthetic strategies for their preparation in recent decades. In this context, the α-arylation of carbonyl compounds catalyzed by transition-metal complexes have been particularly helpful in constructing this motif. As illustrated in this contribution, tremendous advances have taken place using palladium- and nickel-NHC (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) complexes as pre-catalysts for the arylation of a wide range of ketones, aldehydes, esters and amides with electron-rich, electron-neutral, electron-poor, and sterically hindered aryl halides or pseudo-halides. Despite significant progress, especially in asymmetric α-arylations promoted by chiral NHC ligands, there are numerous challenges which have and continue to encourage further studies on this topic. Some of these are presented in this report.

A Bis (BICAAC) Palladium(II) Complex: Synthesis and Implementation as Catalyst in Heck-Mizoroki and Suzuki-Miyaura Cross Coupling Reactions

Carbenes are one of the most appealing, well-explored, and exciting ligands in modern chemistry due to their tunable stereoelectronic properties and a wide area of applications. A palladium complex (BICAAC)₂PdCl₂ with a recently discovered cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene having bicyclo[2.2.2] octane skeleton (BICAAC) was synthesized and characterized. The enhanced σ-donating and π-accepting ability of this carbene lend a hand to form a robust Pd-carbene bond, which allowed us to probe its reactivity as a precatalyst in Heck-Mizoroki and Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions with low catalyst loading in open-air conditions. The diverse range of substrates was explored for both the cross-coupling reactions. To get a better understanding of the catalytic reactions, several analytical techniques such as field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction were employed in a conclusive manner.

Toward prediction of the precatalyst activation mechanism through the cross-coupling reactions: Reduction of Pd(II) to Pd(0) in precatalyst of the type Pd-PEPPSI

Pd-PEPPSI type complexes are widely used as precatalyst in a variety of organic reactions, including the Negishi, Kumada and Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. The aim of this research is to determine potential proposed reaction pathways 1, 2, or 2' (See Schemes 1 and S1-S4) for Pd-PEPPSI precatalyst activation in the presence of ethylene glycol as a solvent also in the gas phase at Cam-B3LYP-D3 method nominated among eight DFT methods examined. There is also investigation into the impact of promoter bases (NaOEt, NaOⁱ Pr, NaO^t Bu) on precatalyst activation of Pd-PEPPSI. Eventually, the most favorable proposed reaction pathway and promoter base for reducing Pd(II) to Pd(0) are predicted computationally. Notably, our findings are consistent with the organ Pd-PEPPSI type complexes that offer increased catalytic activity and provide basic information in the presence of solvents designing the monoligated Pd(0)-solvent.

Understanding existing and designing novel synthetic routes to Pd-PEPPSI-NHC and Pd-PEPPSI-PR3 pre-catalysts

The reaction mechanism leading to the formation of cross-coupling palladium pre-catalysts of the PEPPSI family was investigated. Two intermediates were isolated and proved to be both suitable synthons to the pre-catalysts, with one permitting the design of a novel and greener user-friendly synthetic route. In light of this mechanistic understanding, the traditional one-pot method was shown to be possible using stoichiometric amounts of throw-away ligand, which represents a considerable synthetic improvement over the wasteful "in pyridine" approach.

Palladium and Copper Catalyzed Sonogashira cross Coupling an Excellent Methodology for C-C Bond Formation over 17 Years: A Review

Sonogashira coupling involves coupling of vinyl/aryl halides with terminal acetylenes catalyzed by transition metals, especially palladium and copper. This is a well known reaction in organic synthesis and plays a role in sp2-sp C-C bond formations. This cross coupling was used in synthesis of natural products, biologically active molecules, heterocycles, dendrimers, conjugated polymers and organic complexes. This review paper focuses on developments in the palladium and copper catalyzed Sonogashira cross coupling achieved in recent years concerning substrates, different catalyst systems and reaction conditions.

Pd(NHC)(cinnamyl)Cl-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reaction of aryl sulfonates with arylboronic acids

A series of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-palladium catalysts have been synthesized and applied to catalyze the Suzuki coupling reaction efficiently between aryl sulfonates and arylboronic acids with the potassium phosphate heptahydrate as a base. The desired yields are obtained even with less reactive aryl tosylates or aryl mesylates as substrates. This method was applied successfully to the synthesis of the (R)-2-(t-butoxycarbonylamino)-3-(biphenyl-4-yl)-propan-1-ol which is the key intermediate of sacubitril, a component of the newly approved antihypertensive drug "Entresto."

The Buchwald-Hartwig Amination After 25 Years

The Pd-catalyzed coupling of aryl (pseudo)halides and amines is one of the most powerful approaches for the formation of C(sp² )-N bonds. The pioneering reports from Migita and subsequently Buchwald and Hartwig on the coupling of aminostannanes and aryl bromides rapidly evolved into general and practical tin-free protocols with broad substrate scope, which led to the establishment of what is now known as the Buchwald-Hartwig amination. This Minireview summarizes the evolution of this cross-coupling reaction over the course of the past 25 years and illustrates some of the most recent applications of this well-established methodology.

Hydroxyl-functionalized triazolylidene-based PEPPSI complexes: metallacycle formation effect on the Suzuki coupling reaction

We report the preparation and full characterization of a series of hydroxyl functionalized 1,2,3-triazolylidene-based PEPPSI complexes 2a-c and their catalytic application in the Suzuki cross coupling reaction of aryl chlorides/amides with boronic acids. Under basic reaction conditions, complexes 2a-c show a notable increase in their catalytic efficiency compared with two ether-wingtip functionalized PEPPSI analogues (3 and 4) and a commercially available NHC-Pd complex (5). The catalytic results suggest that deprotonation of the hydroxyl group in complexes 2a-c plays an important role in the overall process. Deprotonation of the alcohol moiety of complexes 2a-b with sodium tert-butoxide allows for the isolation of metallacycles 6a-b, which are proposed as the active species of cross coupling reactions.

Palladium(ii) ligated with a selenated (Se, CNHC, N−)-type pincer ligand: an efficient catalyst for Mizoroki–Heck and Suzuki–Miyaura coupling in water

First Pd(ii) complex of a novel (Se, C_NHC, N⁻) type pincer ligand based on selenated NHC was synthesized and found to be very efficient in the catalysis of Mizoroki–Heck coupling of ArCl/Br and Suzuki–Miyaura coupling of ArBr in water.

Highly active NHC–Pd(ii) complexes for cross coupling of aryl chlorides and arylboronic acids: an investigation of the effect of remote bulky groups

Highly active palladium(ii) complexes bearing remote bulky ligands for Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions under mild conditions are reported.