Pd(OAc)2@SBA-15/PrEn nanoreactor: a highly active, reusable and selective phosphine-free catalyst for Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction in aqueous media

A series of ordered mesoporous organic–inorganic hybrid material was designed by using the amine‐functionalized SBA‐15 (PdX2@SBA‐15/NY, Y = 1, 2) as solid support for palladium complexes. Among them, the Pd(OAc)2/ethylenediamine complex encapsulated into SBA‐15 (Pd(OAc)2@SBA‐15/PrEn or Pd(OAc)2@SBA‐15/PrNHEtNH2) exhibits higher activity and selectivity toward Suzuki cross‐coupling reaction under aerobic conditions and water solvent mixture. The SBA‐15/PrEn supported palladium pre‐catalyst could be separated easily from reaction products and used repetitively several times, showing its superiority over homogeneous catalysts for industrial and chemical applications. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. A systematic study showed, the encapsulated Pd(OAc)2/ethylenediamine complex into the SBA‐15 as an organic–inorganic hybrid nanoreactor (Pd(OAc)2@SBA‐15/PrEn) exhibit higher activity and selectivity toward Suzuki cross‐coupling reaction in aerobic condition and mixture of water solvent.