Replacing Pd(OAc)2 with supported palladium nanoparticles in ortho-directed CDC reactions of alkylbenzenes

Abstract

Supported palladium nanoparticles are used as efficient catalysts for the synthesis of aromatic ketones via cross dehydrogenative coupling reactions of 2-arylpyridines with alkylbenzenes. The catalyst can be reused for five cycles without significantly losing activity. Mechanism research showed that alkylbenzenes were oxidized to their corresponding aldehydes and subsequently coupled with 2-arylpyridines to generate aryl ketones through a Pd⁰/Pd^II/Pd^IV catalytic cycle.