Nanocatalysts for Hiyama, Stille, Kumada, and Negishi C–C Coupling Reactions

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONIn the last century, the synthetic organic chemist had formidable resources available for the design and preparation of new complex molecules. 1, 2 However, in the twenty-first century, it is essential for a successful synthetic strategy not only to yield new, pure products selectively but also to develop processes that are environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and dependent on renewable feedstocks rather than on fast-depleting fossil fuels or their derivatives. [3][4][5] The burgeoning field of catalytic nanomaterials, or nanocatalysts, offers an opportunity to the modern synthetic chemist to follow the tenets of green chemistry without compromising on crucial factors such as yield and selectivity of products. 6 Current emphasis on catalysis using nanomaterials, which straddles the boundaries of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, often combining the benefits of both, underscores the quest for recyclable catalytic materials. 7 In this field of research, the formation of new C C bonds using nanomaterials has emerged as a challenging new problem that is being studied across the globe. 8 C C couplings are now a staple of modern organic chemistry, as evidenced by the recent Nobel Prize award in chemistry to Heck, Negishi, and Suzuki in 2010. A recent Web of Knowledge R search shows the almost exponential growth in the number of literature reports related to interdisciplinary research involving nanochemistry and organic synthesis during the past decade ( Figure 5.1).