Polymer-supported macrocyclic Schiff base palladium complex as an efficient catalyst for the Heck reaction

A polymer-supported macrocyclic Schiff base palladium complex has been synthesized. In the Heck reaction of aryl iodides and bromides with ethyl acrylate or styrene, the complex has been proved to give the corresponding products in good to excellent yields. The reaction proceeded smoothly in the presence of 0.5 mol% of catalyst in DMF within 1-4 h. Recycling studies have shown that the catalyst can be readily recovered and reused for four cycles with only a slightly decrease in its activity. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.