Palladium complexes supported by (o-biphenyl)P(t-Bu)(2) (3) or (o-biphenyl)PCy(2) (4) are efficient catalysts for the catalytic amination of a wide variety of aryl halides and triflates. Use of ligand 3 allows for the room-temperature catalytic amination of many aryl chloride, bromide, and triflate substrates, while ligand 4 is effective for the amination of functionalized substrates or reactions of acyclic secondary amines. The catalysts perform well for a large number of different substrate combinations at 80-110 degrees C, including chloropyridines and functionalized aryl halides and triflates using 0.5-1.0 mol % Pd; some reactions proceed efficiently at low catalyst levels (0.05 mol % Pd). These ligands are effective for almost all substrate combinations that have been previously reported with various other ligands, and they represent the most generally effective catalyst system reported to date. Ligands 3 and 4 are air-stable, crystalline solids that are commercially available. Their effectiveness is believed to be due to a combination of steric and electronic properties that promote oxidative addition, Pd-N bond formation, and reductive elimination.

A catalyst system for the preparation of biaryls containing four ortho substituents via Suzuki coupling is described. The combination of a catalytic quantity of Pd2(dba)3 with either an electron-rich biarylphosphine or DPEPhos is effective using a wide range of substrates. The X-ray crystal structure of (dba)Pd(2-(9-phenanthryl)phenyl-dicyclohexylphosphine), in which the Pd is coordinated to the 9,10-double bond of the phenanthryl group, is also reported.

A general method for the intermolecular coupling of aryl halides and amides using a Xantphos/Pd catalyst is described. This system displays good functional group compatibility, and the desired C-N bond forming process proceeds in good to excellent yields with 1-4 mol % of the Pd catalyst. Additionally, the arylation of sulfonamides, oxazolidinones, and ureas is reported. The efficiency of these transformations was found to be highly dependent on reaction concentrations and catalyst loadings. A Pd complex resulting from oxidative addition of 4-bromobenzonitrile, (Xantphos)Pd(4-cyanophenyl)(Br) (II), was prepared in one step from Xantphos, Pd(2)(dba)(3), and the aryl bromide. Complex II proved to be an active catalyst for the coupling between 4-bromobenzonitrile and benzamide. X-ray crystallographic analysis of II revealed a rare trans-chelating bisphosphine-Pd(II) structure with a large bite angle of 150.7 degrees.

[formula: see text] The first general intermolecular C-N bond-forming reactions between aryl halides and amides were realized using a palladium catalyst with Xantphos as the ligand. Aryl triflates, carbamates, and sulfonamides are also viable substrates for the amidations, which proceed at 45-110 degrees C with 1-4 mol% of Pd catalyst in 66-99% yields and exhibit good functional group compatibility.

The palladium-catalyzed N-(hetero)arylation of a number of heteroarylamines including 2-aminopyridines, 2-aminothiazoles, and their analogues has been realized using Xantphos as the ligand. Weak bases such as Cs(2)CO(3), Na(2)CO(3), and K(3)PO(4) were used in most cases to allow for the introduction of functional groups. Choice of the base and solvent was critical for the success of these reactions. [reaction: see text]