Improving the Thermodynamic Profiles of Prospective Suzuki–Miyaura Cross‐Coupling Catalysts by Altering the Electrophilic Coupling Component

As a heavily used technique for forming new C−C bonds, developing new catalysts and reaction conditions for Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐couplings is highly desirable. By using molecular volcano plots, the influence of the electrophilic coupling component in catalytic cycle thermodynamics is revealed. Less reactive electrophiles, such as iodine, broaden the volcano plateau, which leads to a larger number of catalysts having appealing thermodynamic profiles. Whereas, fluorine and other more reactive electrophiles compress the volcano plateau, which shrinks the pool of catalysts having good thermodynamic profiles. As a result, judicious selection of the electrophile employed in a reaction may represent an appealing strategy for further tuning the thermodynamics of cross‐coupling reactions.