Hydrodehalogenation of halogenated pyridines and quinolines by sodium borohydride/N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine under palladium catalysis

A protocol for the hydrodehalogenation of halogenated pyridines and quinolines by the sodium borohydride/N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (NaBH4–TMEDA) system under palladium catalysts is reported. Catalytic amounts of [1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene] dichloropalladium(II) in combination with NaBH4–TMEDA rapidly hydrodehalogenate chloro(bromo)-pyridines and -quinolines at room temperature in quantitative yields. Chemoselective reduction of 4,7-dichloroquinoline affords 7-chloroquinoline as the sole product in almost quantitative yield. Moreover, palladium(II) acetate-triphenylphosphine and NaBH4–TMEDA are able to reduce efficiently reactive bromo-pyridines and -quinolines.