Ferrocenylimidazoline palladacycles: Syntheses, crystal structures and applications as catalysts for Suzuki cross coupling reaction in water

The air and moisture stable triphenylphosphine (PPh3) adducts of cyclopalladated ferrocenylimidazoline complexes 2a and 2b have been synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The catalytic studies on 2a and 2b indicate that they are effective catalysts for the Suzuki reaction of activated aryl chlorides with phenylboronic acid in neat water under air atmosphere.