Nickel(ii) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes as efficient catalysts for the Suzuki—Miyaura reaction

Catalytic activity of nickel(ii) and palladium(ii) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes derived from imidazole, benzimidazole, and 1,2,4-triazole was comparatively evaluated in the cross-coupling reactions of aryl halides with arylboronic acids. Readily available nickel bis-NHC complexes (NHC)2NiX2 (X = Cl, Br, or I) exhibited the activity comparable to that of the structurally related palladium complexes and, consequently, can be applied as efficient catalysts for the Suzuki—Miyaura reaction.