Structure–activity comparison in palladium–N–heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed arene CH activation- functionalization

Abstract

A simple and efficient CH activation catalyst was identified through a model structure-activity screening applied to a noncooperative, nonsymmetric bimetallic palladium(II)-N-heterocyclic carbene complex. Mechanistic studies based on kinetics and DOSY NMR spectroscopy provided the origin of the higher efficiency of the identified catalyst.