Synthesis, characterization and catalytic activity of palladium complexes with α-imino–amidos ligands

In the present work, a series of steric substituted α-imino–amido palladium complexes, {[Ar–Ndouble bond; length as m-dashC(CH3)–C(CH3)(R)–NH–Ar]PdCl2} (C1, R = Me, Ar = 2,6-dimethylphenyl; C2, R = Me, Ar = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl; C3, R = CH2Ph, Ar = 2,6-dimethylphenyl; C4, R = CH2Ph, Ar = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl), were synthesized and characterized. The structures of palladium complexes C3 and C4 were elucidated by X-ray diffraction. These bidentate nitrogen ligands were applied in palladium-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. The effect of ligand substitution as well as reaction conditions on catalytic activity was evaluated. Under the optimization process, the less bulky and electron-donating ligand were successfully used to catalyze the reaction of a variety of aryl bromides and chlorides with arylboronic acids, giving the desired biaryl products in high yields.