Oxygen-promoted PdCl2-catalyzed ligand-free Suzuki reaction in aqueous media.

A simple and efficient protocol has been developed for the PdCl(2)-catalyzed ligand-free and aerobic Suzuki reaction of aryl bromides or nitrogen-based heteroaryl bromides with arylboronic acids in good to excellent yields in aqueous ethanol. A systematic investigation on the effect of different atmospheres on the reactivity of the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki reaction has been carried out, the results show that an aerobic atmosphere demonstrates a positive effect on the reactivity of the Suzuki reaction in an aqueous media and a negative effect in a pure organic solvent, which exhibits that the water plays a crucial role for the function of the atmosphere on the palladium-catalyzed ligand-free Suzuki reaction.