CHEMSUSCHEM
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Methyl 5-bromo-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylate (2k), 6-bromoin-
dole (2l), and 3-bromoquinoline (2m) were all well tolerated
reaction partners despite their coordinating properties and the
bulky nature of 2l and 2m, and afforded 3k–3m in good-to-
excellent yields. The catalytic system displayed very good com-
patibility under microwave (MW) irradiation conditions
(Scheme 1b, 3j), as further exemplified in the following sec-
tions, which helped to speed up the reaction significantly.
The extent to which functional groups can exert a steric hin-
drance was further examined in more detail (Scheme 2). In the
series of trifluoromethylphenylboronic acids (Scheme 2a), the
ortho substituted starting material completely inhibited the re-
action even at 508C (Scheme 2a, 4c). In contrast, the para and
meta analogues afforded 4a–b in excellent yields. This surpris-
conditions than the meta and para ethyl analogues. Conse-
quently, although a significant rate deceleration is observed,
this problem can be, in most cases, circumvented at higher
temperatures and the catalyst is capable to return an excellent
conversion.
Even though the catalytic tests performed so far were re-
warding, superior results were obtained when the heterocyclic
moiety was located on the boron transmetallating partners. As
a general trend, it was observed that this arrangement of reac-
tive groups (boron located on the more functionalized frag-
ment) leads to a better tolerance towards multiple coordinat-
ing heteroatoms. A large variety of interesting (hetero)aromatic
or vinylboronic acids (6a–6n) were coupled with aryl iodides
(Scheme 3a, 7a–j) and aryl bromides (Scheme 3b, 7k–n) and
afforded biaryls 8a–j and 8k–n, respectively, encountering
very little difficulties. Notably, 8c and 8d, containing a sophisti-
cated motif present in patented antagonists of P2X purinergic
receptors,[22] reached full conversion at low temperatures in
30 min and in 2 h, respectively. It was especially interesting to
observe that a complex aryl halide such as 7d could be easily
coupled with isoprene-2-yl boronic acid pinacolate ester (6d),
which contains a vinylic substituent. Furthermore, boronic
acids of pyridines, indoles, furans and thiophenes were well
tolerated. The use of MW irradiation was proven once again to
be highly effective and led to the isolation of 8e and the steri-
cally hindered 8 f in excellent yields, after merely 10 min of re-
action time. More sophisticated products like 8m and 8n
could also be synthesized and successfully isolated in very
good yields from the corresponding aryl bromides at 508C.
In our efforts to determine the tolerance limit that Pd@MIL-
101-NH2 has for complex substrates, it was found that certain
classes of heterocycles do not react readily. Halides of pyra-
zoles, indazoles and benzimidazoles stood out as very chal-
lenging substrates. Their poisoning effect was recently dis-
cussed in detail by Buchwald and co-workers,[23] who provided
evidence for the formation of bridged Pd complexes, which in-
hibit the Suzuki coupling. A strong influence over the outcome
was also attributed to the pKa values of the heterocycles em-
ployed. In this context, it was interesting to examine the inhibi-
tory properties of these substrates. In a robustness assessment,
as proposed by Glorius et al.,[24] when this type of heterocycles
(benzimidazole or 1-methylimidazole) were used as additives
in the cross-coupling of two standard substrates, the reaction
was completely suppressed and no product formation could
be detected (Scheme 4). In contrast, when indole was used as
an additive, almost no inhibition could be detected.
Scheme 2. Influence of steric effects. [a] 0.1 mmol of aryl halide and
1.1 equiv of transmetallating agent were used. Conversion determined by
LC–MS. Isolated yields in parenthesis.
ing interference prompted us to examine other ortho-substitut-
ed phenylboronic acids. When a less bulky chloride replaced
the trifluoromethyl functionality at the ortho position, the reac-
tivity returned to normal and 4d could be obtained in a very
good yield. Furthermore, a range of other hindered products
were synthesized and isolated successfully (4e–g) proving
a good tolerance of our catalyst to different ortho substituents
(i.e.; OMe, CH2OH and OH). However, 2-formylphenylboronic
acid (4h) reacted at a slightly reduced rate, while the o-methyl-
carboxylate function (4i), inhibited the reaction. This set of ex-
periments indicates that formation of the desired products is
suppressed when the boronic acid contains electron-withdraw-
ing groups in addition to bulky ortho substituents.
Gratifyingly, this problem was partially bypassed using the
heterocycles as transmetallating agents under mild conven-
tional heating (Scheme 5, 9a and b) or MW irradiation condi-
tions. This strategy enabled the synthesis of several aryl substi-
tuted pyrazoles and oxazoles in good to excellent yields (9a–
d).
Although previous reports provide limited evidence that cat-
alysis can occur on the surface of the nanoparticles and inside
the pores,[25] homogeneous contributions from leached metal-
lic species must be considered, while the debate on the true
nature of the active Pd species is still fiercely active.[26] We con-
This effect proved to be less pronounced when the bulky,
electro-withdrawing functionality was switched to the aryl
halide (Scheme 2b). In this case, methyl o-iodobenzoate react-
ed with (5-formylfuran-2-yl)boronic acid using slightly harsher
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