Mechanistic studies of the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction with aryl bromides using Pd supported on micro- and mesoporous activated carbons

•Suzuki-Miyaura reaction was conducted using different heterogeneous catalysts.•Differential selectivity changed when different catalysts were used.•Correlation between selectivity and pore diameter was found for mesoporous catalysts.•The changes of selectivity points to heterogeneous catalysis mechanism.

The Suzuki-Miyaura reaction has been studied using palladium supported on modified activated carbons as catalysts. Two kinds of supports (micro- and mesoporous) have been prepared from plum stones and oak wood, and subsequently modified with different agents (HNO3, (NH4)2S2O8, air or ammonia) in order to produce new or alter the existing surface functional groups. The selectivity changes in the competitive Suzuki-Miyaura reaction indicate a substantial contribution of the heterogeneous catalysis to the reaction mechanism. Thus, the data obtained are not consistent with the widely accepted point of exclusive homogeneous catalysis of the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction.

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