A new coupling reaction based on the Pd-catalyzed reductive
coupling of thienyl mercuric
chlorides is described. A variety of substituted thiophenes react
with HgCl2 to produce thienyl
mercuric chlorides. The degree of substitution can be controlled
by the choice of temperature,
solvent, and reaction time, and the resulting chloromercuri thiophenes
or bis(chloromercuri)thiophenes are stable to air and water. Heating the thienyl
mercuric chlorides in pyridine
solvent with Cu powder and PdCl2 catalyst gave good yields
of the coupled thiophenes. Poly(alkyl)thiophenes, poly(alkyl thienylacetate esters), and
copolymers of alkylthiophenes with
unsubstituted thiophene were formed in good yields. Molecular
weights, M
w, were in the
range 5300−83000. This coupling reaction was demonstrated to be
compatible with the
presence of an electrophilic substituent that is attacked by more
nucleophilic intermediates,
e.g., thienyllithium or thienyl Grignard reagents. Thus, this
synthesis should be compatible
with substituents known to be unreactive toward arylmercuric chlorides
or arylpalladium
compounds and is therefore complementary to the organometallic coupling
schemes currently
in use.