Pd- and Ni-Pyridyl Complexes Deposited as Films for Suzuki–Miyaura and Mizoroki–Heck Cross Coupling Reactions

A pyridyl fluorene ligand, 2,7-bis(4-pyridyl)-9,9-diethylfluorene (1), has been synthesized by a simple route. The ability of the two linearly terminal pyridyl nitrogen atoms of 1 to coordinate with the Pd(II) or Ni(II) ions has enabled the use of 1 as a linking ligand in the preparation of (PdCl2/1) n , (Ni(NO3)2/1) n films, PdCl2/1 and Ni(NO3)2/1 complex. The resulting films and complexes were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. The application of films and complexes as catalysts for Suzuki–Miyaura and Mizoroki–Heck reactions was carried out. (PdCl2/1) n films show high catalytic activity in the reactions with the Pd loading of ppm. (Ni(NO3)2/1) n multilayers as the active catalytic moieties for these reactions were investigated with very low Ni(II)-loading. The (Pd or Ni/1) n multilayer films were used as high active catalysts for the C-C formation with extremely low M(II)-loading in ppm level.