Discrete Air-Stable Nickel(II)–Palladium(II) Complexes as Catalysts for Suzuki–Miyaura Reactions

Four novel bidentate phosphine-Pd complexes coordinated by NiN2S2 metallodithiolate ligands were synthesized and characterized, including XRD analysis; these redox-active complexes are stable in air, and they survive column chromatography on silica gel. The Ni–Pd bimetallic complexes are demonstrated to be precatalyst for Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. The best of these has an overall yield of over 99% under only 1% catalyst loading. The role of NiN2S2 as a stabilizing bidentate ligand that is also oxidizable may account for its efficacy in the support of the catalysis.