Cationic cyclopalladated ferrocenylpyrimidine complex as an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of substituted biarylmethanol by the Suzuki reaction in water

•Synthesis of substituted biarylmethanol by the Suzuki reaction in water.•Cationic palladacycle 2 has been synthesized and characterized.•2 was an efficient catalyst for the Suzuki reaction in water.

A new cationic cyclopalladated ferrocenylpyrimidine 2 has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H and C13 NMR. Additionally, its detailed structure has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and intermolecular C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds were found in the its crystal. 2 was successfully used in Suzuki reaction of aryl bromides or chlorides excluding water-soluble group with 4-(hydroxymethyl)phenylboronic acid for the synthesis of substituted biarylmethanol in water. Complex 2 was found to be very efficient for these reactions. Typically, using 0.5–1 mol% of catalyst in the presence of 3 equivalents of K3PO4·3H2O as base in water at 100 °C provided coupling products in good yields.

Graphical abstractA new cationic palladacycle 2 has been synthesized and characterized. Its detailed structure has been determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. 2 was found to be efficient catalyst for the Suzuki reactions of aryl bromides or chlorides excluding water-soluble group with 4-(hydroxymethyl)phenylboronic acid in water. This procedure represents a practical method for the synthesis of substituted biarylmethanol.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide