Extending the Range of Neutral N-Donor Ligands Available for Metal Catalysts: <i>N</i>-[1-Alkylpyridin-4(1<i>H</i>)-ylidene]amides in Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions

N-[1-Alkylpyridin-4(1H)-ylidene]amides (PYAs) are a new class of easily prepared, neutral N-donor ligands that share some features in common with N-heterocyclic carbenes. They are strongly electron-donating toward metal centers, and a palladium(II) complex of one of these ligands has been shown to successfully catalyze both the Heck–Mizoroki and Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions.