Ligand Steric Effects of α-Diimine Nickel(II) and Palladium(II) Complexes in the Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reaction

Nickel catalysts represent a low cost and environmentally friendly alternative to palladium-based catalytic systems for Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling (SMC) reactions. However, nickel catalysts have suffered from poor air, moisture, and thermal stabilities, especially at high catalyst loading, requiring controlled reaction conditions. In this report, we examine a family of mono- and dinuclear Ni(II) and Pd(II) complexes with a diverse and versatile α-diimine ligand environment for SMC reactions. To evaluate the ligand steric effects, including the bite angle in the reaction outcomes, the structural variation of the complexes was achieved by incorporating iminopyridine- and acenaphthene-based ligands. Moreover, the impact of substrate bulkiness was investigated by reacting various aryl bromides with phenylboronic acid, 2-naphthylboronic acid, and 9-phenanthracenylboronic acid. Yields were the best with the dinuclear complex, being nearly quantitative (93-99%), followed by the mononuclear complexes, giving yields of 78-98%. Consequently, α-diimine-based ligands have the potential to deliver Ni-based systems as sustainable catalysts in SMC.

Novel Carbazole-Based N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands to Access Synthetically Relevant Stilbenes in Pd-Catalyzed Coupling Processes

A series of new carbazole-based N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands have been synthesized in a simple and facile synthetic route and subsequently used in a Pd/carbazole-based NHC catalytic system, which was found to be effective in catalyzing Heck reactions to provide substituted stilbene derivatives in good yields. Several bioactive stilbenes, including pterostilbene, pinosylvin, trimethoxy resveratrol, and resveratrol, were synthesized in good yields, and a 10 mmol scale-up was also performed for trimethoxy resveratrol. The synthetic application was also extended by performing a double-tandem chemoselective Heck reaction followed by Miyaura borylation in a one-pot procedure to give single-step access to synthetically useful stilbenyl boronate esters. Similarly, a unique triple-tandem protocol of a chemoselective Heck reaction/Miyaura borylation/Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction sequence was performed for the one-pot modification of biologically relevant molecules.

Palladacycle-Catalyzed Triple Suzuki Coupling Strategy for the Synthesis of Anthracene-Based OLED Emitters

The development of the site-selective Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of dibromoanthracene as an efficient strategy toward organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) is disclosed in this article. An unprecedented step-economic palladacycle-promoted triple Suzuki coupling protocol allowed the synthesis of three new OLED emitters and could prove to be a useful general strategy for researchers working in this field. Characterization of the synthesized molecules by UV-vis spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry followed by density functional theory studies of the different properties strongly confirms the derivatives possess more significant hole mobility character than electron transfer capability.

Synthesis of energy transfer cassettes via click and Suzuki–Miyaura cross coupling reactions

Novel cassettes capable of energy transfer involving simple synthetic methodsviz., click reaction at C-8 position and palladium catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura cross coupling at C-6 position of imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine, have been represented.