Suzuki cross-coupling in aqueous media catalyzed by a 1,1′-N-substituted ferrocenediyl Pd(II) complex

Reaction of PdCl2(MeCN)2 with Fe[η-C5H4NC(H)Ph–N]2 (1) at MeOH at r.t. gives air-stable PdCl2Fe[η-C5H4NC(H)Ph–N]2 (2; yield 84%). X-ray single-crystal diffraction analyses show that 2 is a Pd(II) square planar complex with N,N′ chelation of the ferrocenediyl ligand, without Fe–Pd bond. It effectively catalyzes Suzuki cross-coupling reactions of aryl iodides and bromides with aryl boronic acids in aqueous media under non-homogeneous conditions in which the products can be easily isolated. The reaction conditions including choice of base, catalytic load and catalyst recoverability have been investigated and reported.