Sulfur-containing palladacycles: efficient phosphine-free catalyst precursors for the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction at room temperature.

[reaction: see text] Cyclopalladated compounds derived from the ortho-metalation of benzylic tert-butyl thioethers are excellent catalyst precursors for the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction of aryl bromides and chlorides with phenylboronic acid under mild reaction conditions. A broad range of substrates and functional groups are tolerated in this protocol, and highly catalytic activity is attained.