Novel and efficient bridged bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)palladium(II) catalysts for selective carbonylative Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions to biaryl ketones and biaryl diketones

Bridged N,N′-substituted bisbenzimidazolium bromide salts (L1, L2, and L3) were synthesized and fully characterized. Reactions of palladium acetate with L1, L2, and L3 afforded corresponding new bridged bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)palladium(II) complexes (C1, C2, and C3) in high yields. The X-ray structure of complex C1 showed that the Pd(II) ion is bonded to the two carbon atoms of the bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) and two bromido ligands are in the cis position, resulting in a distorted square planar geometry. The three Pd(NHC)₂Br₂ complexes C1, C2, and C3 were evaluated in carbonylative Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions of aryl boronic acids with aryl halides and displayed high catalytic activity with low catalyst loading. The coupling reactions of aryl bromides were selective towards the carbonylation product at higher carbon monoxide pressure.