Polycondensation of haloarylketones catalyzed by palladium compounds bearing N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands

Palladium-catalyzed α-arylation of ketones, which can efficiently give coupling products by using appropriate ligands and bases, could be applied to a polycondensation reaction. Stable N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) were used as favorable ligands coordinating the Pd catalysts, which were generated in situ from commercially available palladium compounds such as Pd(OAc)₂ and Pd₂(dba)₃ as suitable catalyst precursors in this polymerization. Using small amounts of binary catalysts, poly(aryl alkyl ketone)s were afforded in high yields from haloarylketones in the presence of a base. A primarily prepared palladium catalyst having an NHC ligand, [Pd(OAc)₂(NHC)], also efficiently catalyzed the polycondensation, whereas a palladium compound bearing two carbene ligands, [PdX₂(NHC)₂], did not.