Pyridyl-supported pyrazolyl-N-heterocyclic carbene ligands and the catalytic activity of their palladium complexes in Suzuki-Miyaura reactions.

Palladium complexes of two new types of unsymmetrical pyridyl-supported pyrazolyl-N-heterocyclic carbene ligands were synthesized and structurally characterized. A strategy to release the steric strain of the ligand was realized by the introduction of methylene linkers to the ligand molecule. All the palladium complexes exhibited good to excellent catalytic activity in Suzuki-Miyaura reactions of phenyl or p-tolylboronic acid with aryl halides including iodobenzene, aryl bromides, and activated aryl chlorides under mild conditions, revealing that the new ligands are promising for the construction of highly active transition-metal catalysts.