‘On-water’ organic synthesis: a green, highly efficient, low cost and reusable catalyst system for biaryl synthesis under aerobic conditions at room temperature

Abstract

A simple, greener, efficient, low cost and mild protocol has been developed for sucrose assisted palladium-catalyzed Suzuki reactions in water at room temperature under aerobic conditions. The results demonstrate that the sucrose played a crucial role making this protocol highly efficient. The PdCl₂/sucrose/K₂CO₃/H₂O system showed superb catalytic activity towards the Suzuki reaction of a wide range of aryl/heteroaryl halides with different substituted phenylboronic acids. This method offers an attractive alternative to the existing protocols since the reaction proceeds in aqueous media at room temperature with operational simplicity, shorter reaction time, cost-effectiveness and provides the products in high yields. The catalytic system is highly recyclable, allowing the reuse of the palladium catalyst in subsequent catalytic runs without significant loss of activity.