Palladium catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reactions in ambient-temperature ionic liquids

Palladium catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reactions have been investigated in the ambient temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF4]) and have been found to exhibit unprecedented reactivities in addition to easy product isolation and catalyst recycling. Furthermore, the in situ formation of the mixed phosphine imidazolylidene palladium complex, [(PPh3)(2)Pd(bmimy)X] [BF4] (where: bmimy = 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolylidene, X = Cl or Br), from [bmim][BF4] has been detected under conditions similar to many ionic liquid mediated palladium catalyzed coupling reactions. Ionic liquid solutions of the independently prepared complex give rise to an extremely potent catalytic system.