Polymeric 2,2′-biquinolyl-containing Ni complexes as catalysts for the Suzuki reaction

The Suzuki reaction with polymeric Ni catalysts based on the biquinolyl-containing polyamic acids can be carried out under conditions close to the conditions used for the catalytic transformations in the presence of Pd complexes with the same polymeric ligands. However, the yields of the cross-coupling products on the Ni catalysts are somewhat lower than those obtained in the presence of palladium complexes. The yield of the cross-coupling product increases with the increase in the conformational mobility of the polymeric ligand. Unlike catalysis by palladium complexes, in catalytic transformations by nickel complexes activation of the catalyst is required. Such an activation can be carried out either by addition of chemical reducing agents or by applying the corresponding cathodic potential (-0.8 V relative to Ag/AgCl/KCl). The electrochemical activation was shown to lead to higher yields of the cross-coupling product than the use of chemical reducing agents. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York.