Reusable copper-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of aryl halides with organotins in inexpensive ionic liquids.

A combination of Cu2O nanoparticles with P(o-tol)3 shows highly catalytic activity for the Stille cross-coupling reaction. A series of copper catalysts and ligands were evaluated, and Cu2O nanoparticles combined with P(o-tol)3 provided the best results. In the presence of Cu2O nanoparticles and P(o-tol)3, a variety of aryl halides including aryl chlorides underwent the Stille reaction with organotins smoothly in moderate to excellent yields using inexpensive TBAB (n-Bu4NBr) as the medium. It is noteworthy that the Cu2O/P(o-tol)3/TBAB system can be recovered and reused at least three times without any loss of catalytic activity among the reactions of aryl iodides and activated aryl bromides.