Efficient aqueous-phase Heck and Suzuki couplings of aryl bromides using tri(4,6-dimethyl-3- sulfonatophenyl)phosphine trisodium salt (TXPTS).

[reaction: see text] Sterically demanding, sulfonated arylphosphines TXPTS and TMAPTS have been applied to the aqueous-phase Heck and Suzuki coupling of aryl bromides. TXPTS provides good yields of Heck coupling products from aryl bromides at 80 degrees C, while both TMAPTS and TPPTS gave significantly less active catalysts. TXPTS is the first ligand to promote the aqueous-phase Heck coupling under such mild conditions. Both TXPTS and TMAPTS provide active catalysts for Suzuki couplings of aryl bromides at 50 degrees C.