Phenanthroline Ligands in Aryl Palladium Hydrazinato Complexes: Catalysts for Efficient Coupling of Azo Componds with Aryl Boronic Acids

An easy couple: A new protocol for the synthesis of N-arylated amides, based on a coupling between azodicarboxylates and aryl boronic acids, has been developed (see scheme). Palladadiaziridines serve as catalysts for this process and the key step consists of a reductive elimination from a hydrazinato palladium aryl intermediate that shows an unprecedented reactivity for this class of compounds in aryl–amide bond formation.