Palladium(II) Pyrazolin-4-ylidenes: Remote N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes and Their Catalytic Application in Aqueous Suzuki−Miyaura Coupling

Two monocationic complexes of pyrazole-derived remote carbene ligands of the type trans-[PdI(rNHC)(PPh3)2]+OTf– {rNHC = 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl-1-phenylpyrazolin-4-ylidene (6a), 1-ethyl-2,3,5-trimethylpyrazolin-4-ylidene (6b)} were prepared by oxidative addition of 4-iodo-1,2,3,5-tetrasubstituted pyrazolium triflate salts to [Pd2(dba)3]/PPh3 in good yields. Both compounds were fully characterized by multinuclei NMR spectroscopies, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction analysis. A comparative study on the aqueous Suzuki−Miyaura catalytic activities of these cationic complexes with their previously reported neutral counterparts reveals the superiority of the former.