[Pd(IPr*OMe)(acac)Cl]: Tuning the N‑Heterocyclic Carbene in Catalytic C–N Bond Formation

A new N-heterocyclic ligand IPr*OMe [N,N′-bis­(2,6-bis­(diphenylmethyl)-4-methoxyphenyl)­imidazol-2-ylidene] has been synthesized and compared with its earlier methyl-substituted congener IPr* [N,N′-bis­(2,6-bis­(diphenylmethyl)-4-methylphenyl)­imidazol-2-ylidene]. IPr*OMe was successfully bound to palladium, and the catalytic activity of the resulting complex [Pd­(IPr*OMe)­(acac)­Cl] was investigated in Buchwald–Hartwig arylamination. Catalytic activity was compared to that of [Pd­(IPr*)­(acac)­Cl].