Dialkylterphenyl Phosphine-Based Palladium Precatalysts for Efficient Aryl Amination of N-Nucleophiles

A series of 2-aminobiphenyl palladacycles supported by dialkylterphenyl phosphines, PR₂ Ar' (R=Me, Et, iPr, Cyp (cyclopentyl), Ar'=Ar^Dipp2 , Ar^Xyl2f , Dipp (2,6-C6H3-(2,6-C6H3-(CHMe2)2)2), Xyl=xylyl) have been prepared and structurally characterized. Neutral palladacycles were obtained with less bulky terphenyl phosphines (i.e., Me and Et substituents) whereas the largest phosphines provided cationic palladacycles in which the phosphines adopted a bidentate hemilabile k¹ -P,η¹ -C_arene coordination mode. The influence of the ligand structure on the catalytic performance of these Pd precatalysts was evaluated in aryl amination reactions. Cationic complexes bearing the phosphines PiPr₂ Ar^Xyl2 and PCyp₂ Ar^Xyl2 were the most active of the series. These precatalysts have demonstrated a high versatility and efficiency in the coupling of a variety of nitrogen nucleophiles, including secondary amines, alkyl amines, anilines, and indoles, with electronically deactivated and ortho-substituted aryl chlorides at low catalyst loadings (0.25-0.75 mol % Pd) and without excess ligand.