Di-t-butyl(ferrocenylmethyl)phosphine: air-stability, structural characterization, coordination chemistry, and application to palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions

Di-t-butyl(ferrocenylmethyl)phosphine (1) is an air stable ligand as a solid with strong electron donating ability. Ligand 1 in combination with Pd2(dba)3 showed Suzuki and Heck coupling activity. Complexation of 1 with Pd2(dba)3 (L:Pd ⩽ 1) gave (1)2Pd0 as well as an apparent monophosphine complex.