4.2.8. Reductive Coupling 3109 5. Reaction of Aromatic Compounds 3110 5.1. Electrophilic Substitutions 3110 5.2. Radical Substitution 3111 5.3. Oxidative Coupling 3111 5.4. Photochemical Reactions 3111 6. Reaction of Carbonyl Compounds 3111 6.1. Nucleophilic Additions 3111 6.1.1. Allylation 3111 6.1.2. Propargylation 3120 6.1.3. Benzylation 3121 6.1.4. Arylation/Vinylation 3121 6.1.5. Alkynylation 3121 6.1.6. Alkylation 3121 6.1.7. Reformatsky-Type Reaction 3122 6.1.8. Direct Aldol Reaction 3122 6.1.9. Mukaiyama Aldol Reaction 3124 6.1.10. Hydrogen Cyanide Addition 3125 6.2. Pinacol Coupling 3126 6.3. Wittig Reactions 3126 7. Reaction of R,â-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds 3127

Organic Reactions in Aqueous Media with a Focus on Carbon−Carbon Bond Formations: A Decade Update

A wide array of forms of palladium has been utilized as precatalysts for Heck and Suzuki coupling reactions over the last 15 years. Historically, nearly every form of palladium used has been described as the active catalytic species. However, recent research has begun to shed light on the in situ transformations that many palladium precatalysts undergo during and before the catalytic reaction, and there are now many suggestions in the literature that narrow the scope of types of palladium that may be considered true “catalysts” in these coupling reactions. In this work, for each type of precatalyst, the recent literature is summarized and the type(s) of palladium that are proposed to be truly active are enumerated. All forms of palladium, including discrete soluble palladium complexes, solid-supported metal ligand complexes, supported palladium nano- and macroparticles, soluble palladium nanoparticles, soluble ligand-free palladium, and palladium-exchanged oxides are considered and reviewed here. A considerable focus is placed on solid precatalysts and on evidence for and against catalysis by solid surfaces vs. soluble species when starting with various precatalysts. The review closes with a critical overview of various control experiments or tests that have been used by authors to assess the homogeneity or heterogeneity of catalyst systems.

On the Nature of the Active Species in Palladium Catalyzed Mizoroki–Heck and Suzuki–Miyaura Couplings – Homogeneous or Heterogeneous Catalysis, A Critical Review

Palladium-catalyzed C-C and C-N bond-forming reactions are among the most versatile and powerful synthetic methods. For the last 15 years, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have enjoyed increasing popularity as ligands in Pd-mediated cross-coupling and related transformations because of their superior performance compared to the more traditional tertiary phosphanes. The strong sigma-electron-donating ability of NHCs renders oxidative insertion even in challenging substrates facile, while their steric bulk and particular topology is responsible for fast reductive elimination. The strong Pd-NHC bonds contribute to the high stability of the active species, even at low ligand/Pd ratios and high temperatures. With a number of commercially available, stable, user-friendly, and powerful NHC-Pd precatalysts, the goal of a universal cross-coupling catalyst is within reach. This Review discusses the basics of Pd-NHC chemistry to understand the peculiarities of these catalysts and then gives a critical discussion on their application in C-C and C-N cross-coupling as well as carbopalladation reactions.

Palladium Complexes of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes as Catalysts for Cross-Coupling Reactions—A Synthetic Chemist's Perspective

This review discusses the problems associated with developing high-turnover catalysts for the cross-coupling and Heck reactions. New developments in the area, principally constituted by palladacycles and coordinatively unsaturated Pd catalysts featuring bulky phosphanes of high donicity, are reviewed from a mechanistic and synthetic standpoint, and compared with more traditional catalysts obtained from conventional mono- and polydentate N- and P-based ligands, as well as Pd catalysts without strong ligands, such as Pd colloids or heterogeneous catalysts. Carbene ligands are also briefly presented. Whereas a single, most promising approach to high-turnover Pd catalysis cannot presently be defined, it is clear that the new “PdL1” catalysts (where L1 is a monodentate bulky P ligand of high donicity) represent the latest, most important development in Pd research, certainly from the standpoint of scope and probably also from the standpoint of efficiency. High turnovers with these catalysts have been described and their use will certainly increase in the next few years. The review ends with a brief discussion containing practical considerations on how to choose a high TON catalyst for a given Heck or cross-coupling reaction of interest.

High‐Turnover Palladium Catalysts in Cross‐Coupling and Heck Chemistry: A Critical Overview

The development of palladium catalysts for CC and Cheteroatom bond forming reactions of aryl chloride substrates

A highly effective, easy to handle and environmentally benign process for palladium mediated Suzuki cross-coupling was developed. By utilizing a solid support based NHC–palladium catalyst, cross couplings of aryl bromides with phenylboronic acid were achieved in neat water under air. A high ratio of substrate to catalyst was also realized.

Suzuki cross-coupling mediated by tetradentate N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-palladium complexes in an environmentally benign solvent.

Palladium-catalyzed sequential arylation and allylic alkylation of highly functionalized ketones: a concise synthesis of mesembrine.

Five 1,3-disubstituted imidazolium salts were synthesized. Their Heck reaction activities were evaluated. A convenient, efficient and high yielding procedure based on these compounds for the arylation of olefins was developed. Heck reactions mediated by these palladium–N-heterocyclic carbene complexes were conducted under air and even in the presence of several common oxidants.

Imidazolylidene carbene ligated palladium catalysis of the Heck reaction in the presence of air

Rh-Catalyzed Highly Enantioselective Hydroalkynylation Reaction of Norbornadiene Derivatives

A new palladium/zinc co-catalyst system associated with chiral (R)-Difluorphos for asymmetric ring-opening reaction of oxabenzonorbornadienes with phenols is reported. This catalyst system allows the formation of cis-2-aryloxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalen-1-ol products in good yields (up to 95 % yield) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99 % ee). The cis-configuration of the product has been confirmed by X-ray crystal structure analysis. To the best of our knowledge, it represents the first example in ring-opening reactions of bicycloalkenes with heteronucleophiles in a syn-stereoselective manner.

Yongyun Zhou

Papers

Suzuki cross-coupling mediated by tetradentate N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-palladium complexes in an environmentally benign solvent.

Palladium-catalyzed sequential arylation and allylic alkylation of highly functionalized ketones: a concise synthesis of mesembrine.

Imidazolylidene carbene ligated palladium catalysis of the Heck reaction in the presence of air

Rh-Catalyzed Highly Enantioselective Hydroalkynylation Reaction of Norbornadiene Derivatives

Palladium/Zinc Co-Catalyzed syn-Stereoselectively Asymmetric Ring-Opening Reaction of Oxabenzonorbornadienes with Phenols.