Green synthesis of fluorinated biaryl derivatives via thermoregulated ligand/palladium-catalyzed Suzuki reaction

Fluorinated compounds have attracted considerable attention in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and material science due to their unique physical properties. This paper reports an efficient and environmentally benign protocol for the Suzuki reaction of aryl halides with fluorinated arylboronic acids over a thermoregulated ligand/palladium catalyst using water as sole medium, affording a variety of fluorinated biaryls, including fluorinated liquid crystals, in excellent yields. The catalyst could be recycled four times with high activity. The active catalyst was proved to be a palladium/ligand complex via a mercury-poisoning test.