Polymer-assisted solution-phase (PASP) Suzuki couplings employing an anthracene-tagged palladium catalyst.

A general method for polymer-assisted solution-phase (PASP) Suzuki reactions employing a combination of anthracene-tagged palladium catalyst and anthracene-tagged boronic acid with a polymer-supported carbonate base is reported. The anthracene-tagged catalyst allows for the easy removal of the Pd catalyst along with the dissociated phosphine ligand and phosphine oxide byproducts by sequestration through a chemoselective Diels-Alder reaction with a maleimide resin. The polymer-supported carbonate base facilitates the removal of excess boronic acid and the borane-containing byproducts present at the end of the coupling reaction. The Suzuki coupling reaction can be efficiently conducted by using combinations of the anthracene-tagged Pd catalyst, polymer-supported carbonate base, and anthracene-tagged boronic acid to yield the desired product in high purity and yield without the use of chromatography.