Selective Heck Arylation of Cyclohexene with Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Palladium Catalysts

Palladium catalysts containing Pd(II) supported on Al2O3 and alumina-based mixed oxides, Al2O3-ZrO2, Al2O3-CeO2, and Al2O3-Fe2O3, are very effective in the Heck coupling of iodobenzene with cyclohexene in DMF solution. The best results, up to 81% of monoarylated products with a selectivity to 4-phenylcyclohexene (3) close to 90% were obtained with KOH as a base. The catalytic activity of palladium supported on alumina-based oxides was compared with that of homogeneous precursors, such as Pd(OAc)(2) and PdCl2(PhCN)(2), used in [Bu4N]Br as the reaction medium. Under such conditions homogeneous systems were more selective and produced up to 60% of monoarylated products with a selectivity to 3 close to 60%.