Synthesis, characterization and catalytic properties of an N-heterocyclic carbene palladium-based complex

A palladium(II) complex, bis[1,3-bis-(2,4,6-trimethylbenzyl)benzimidazol-2 -ylidene]palladium(II) chloride, Pd(NHC), bearing N-heterocyclic carbenes has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy. Crystal structure details of Pd(NHC) are also presented. The palladium centre in the complex lies on a crystallographic inversion centre and occupies a square-planar environment. with both chloride and N-heterocyclic carbene ligands adopting a trans arrangement with Cl-Pd-Cl and C-Pd-C angles are precisely 180 degrees. The palladium-carbene complex was tested as a catalyst in the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.