Poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized imidazolium salts–palladium-catalyzed Suzuki reaction in water

Abstract

Three water-soluble imidazolium salts bearing poly(ethylene glycol) moieties directly attached to an N-atom of imidazole have been synthesized via a simple synthetic method, which could be served as N-heterocyclic carbene precursors for the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki reaction. The catalytic system generated in situ from a source of Pd(OAc)₂, a precursor of imidazolium salt, and a base of triethylamine is able to smoothly perform the Suzuki reaction of a variety of substrates in water.