TBAF-Assisted Palladium-Catalyzed Suzuki Reaction in Water Under the Ligand and Base-Free Conditions

Tetrabutyl ammonium fluoride (abbreviated as TBAF)-assisted palladium-catalyzed Suzuki reaction in neat water has been demonstrated under the ligand and base-free conditions. The cross-coupling of aryl or heteroaryl bromides with arylboronic acids generated the corresponding products in good to excellent yields in the presence of low concentration of palladium acetate in combination with TBAF under air. Keywords: Arylboronic acid, palladium, suzuki reaction, TBAF, water, N-heterocyclic carbenes, arylimines, ary(heteroaryl)oximes, Suzuki reaction, triphenylphosphine