Tricyclohexylphosphine-cyclopalladated ferrocenylimine complexes: synthesis, crystal structures and application in Suzuki and Heck reactions

A series of novel tricyclohexylphosphine (PCy(3))-cyclopalladated ferrocenylimine complexes 2c-2g have been easily synthesized. These new palladacycles are thermally stable and are not sensitive to air and moisture. Their detailed structures have been determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis and six different types of intermolecular hydrogen bonds are found to be existed in the crystals of these complexes. The use of 2c-2g as catalysts for Suzuki and Heck reactions was examined. They were found to be very efficient for the Suzuki reaction of aryl chlorides with phenylboronic acid. Typically, using 0.1 mol% of catalyst in the presence of 1.5 equivalent of Cs(2)CO(3) as base in dioxane at 100 degrees C provided coupled products in excellent yields. These complexes also displayed good activity in the Heck reaction of a range of aryl bromides with acrylic acid ethyl ester although they were not particularly useful for the activation of aryl chlorides.