Bis-benzimidazolium salts were prepared successfully from commercially available and inexpensive o-phenylenediamine through a series of simple reactions. The bis-NHC-Pd complexes prepared in situ can catalyze Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction under very mild conditions in aqueous media with excellent yields. The efficiency of this reaction is demonstrated by its compatibility with a range of functional groups. Di-ortho-substituted biaryls could be accomplished in 89-99% yields. Moreover, the rigorous exclusion of air or moisture is not required in these transformations.

This study describes an efficient class of bis-N-heterocyclic carbene (bis-NHC) salts that can be easily made from commercially available and inexpensive starting materials.

The bis-NHC–Ag/Pd(OAc)2 catalytic system (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene), a combination of bis-NHC–Ag complex and Pd(OAc)2, was found to be a smart catalyst in the Pd-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of various functionalized arenes and internal/terminal alkynes. The catalytic system demonstrated high efficiency for the reduction of a wide range of various functional groups such as carbonyls, alkynes, olefins, and nitro groups in good to excellent yields and high chemoselectivity for the reduction of functional groups. In addition, the protocol was successfully exploited to stereoselectivity for the transformation of alkynes to alkenes in aqueous media under air. This methodology successfully provided an alternative useful protocol for reducing various functional groups and a simple operational protocol for transfer hydrogenation.

The bis‐N‐heterocyclic carbene‐catalyzed (bis‐NHC‐catalyzed) oxidative transformation of aldehydes was successfully studied in water under air. The reaction rate increased through the use of Pd(OAc)2 as an additive. Notably, the catalytic system exhibited good tolerance toward aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes bearing halide and alkyl functional groups. In addition, gram‐scale reaction was also tested in this study. The use of water and operational simplicity make this methodology environmentally benign and cost‐effective.

A novel class of compounds bearing indole and benzimidazole rings was designed and easily synthesized from 2-indolecarboxylic acid and ophenylenediamine.The catalytic system derived from a 2indolylbenzimidazole-based ligand and Pd(OAc) 2 in situ could lead to complete conversion of aryl bromides at 0.5 mol% Pd loading under mild reaction conditions. In the presence of a catalyst, sterically hindered biaryls were selectively generated in excellent yields by adjusting reaction parameters through the coupling of arylboronic acids with aryl halides. The efficiency of this reaction was demonstrated by its compatibility with various functional groups.