A Carbocyclic Carbene as an Efficient Catalyst Ligand for CC Coupling Reactions

Abstract

A new player on the field: Carbocyclic carbenes are potentially better control ligands than N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) in catalyzed CC coupling reactions. PdII complexes of cycloheptatrienylidene (see picture), which are readily prepared, thermally stable, and highly stable towards acid, are as effective as the familiar NHC complexes in Suzuki and Heck reactions or perform even better.