[PdA (IPr*) (cinnamyl)Cl]: An efficient pre-catalyst for the preparation of tetra-ortho-substituted biaryls by Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling

The bigger the better: The new well-defined [Pd(IPr*)(cin)Cl] pre-catalyst is described (see scheme). This complex proves to be highly active in the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling for the synthesis of tetra-ortho- substituted biaryls under mild conditions. IPr* is reported as the largest N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) to date for [Pd(NHC)(cin)Cl] complexes, explaining the high reactivity observed for this complex in this challenging transformation. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.