Suzuki–Miyaura and Hiyama reactions catalyzed by orthopalladated triarylphosphite complexes

Orthometallated, dimeric, and monomeric palladium complexes with triphenylphoshito ligands and square-planar complexes of the type PdCl2[P(OR)3]2 (where R=Ph, m-MeC6H4, o-MeC6H4, C6H3-2,4-tBu2) were applied in the Suzuki–Miyaura and the Hiyama reactions leading to the same product, 2-Mebiphenyl. The desired product was obtained in high yield in reactions performed in ethane-1,2-diol with Cs2CO3 as a base. The optimized procedure was also applied to the synthesis of other biphenyl derivatives, and in most cases the Suzuki–Miyaura procedure led to higher yields of the product.