Pd/C as a Highly Active Catalyst for Heck, Suzuki and Sonogashira Reactions

A specially optimized air-stable Pd on activated carbon catalyst is demonstrated to be a highly active (TON up to 36,000), selective and convenient heterogeneous catalyst for CC couplings of aryl halides in Heck, Suzuki, and Sonogashira reactions. The Pd/ C catalyst developed allows extremely low Pd concentrations (down to 0.0025 mol% for Heck coupling, 0.005 mol% for Suzuki coupling) and high conversions of aryl bromides within a few hours. Easy and complete Pd separation and recovery is possible.