Silica-supported bidentate arsine palladium(0) complex: a highly active and stereoselective catalyst for arylation of conjugated alkenes

A silica-supported bidentate arsine palladium(0) complex has been prepared from 4-oxa-6,7-dichloroheptyltriethoxysilane via immobilization on fumed silica, followed by reacting with potassium diphenylarsenide and palladium chloride, and then the reduction with hydrazine hydrate. The complex has been characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and it is a highly active and stereoselective catalyst for arylation of styrene and acrylic acid with aryl halides affording a variety of trans-stilbenes and substituted trans-cinnamic acids in high yields.