Sustainable Fe–ppm Pd nanoparticle catalysis of Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings in water

Iron lends power to traces of palladium Palladium (Pd) is a mainstay of chemical catalysis. The precious metal has a knack for forging carbon-carbon (C-C) bonds. Handa et al. now report that when mixed in a specific preparation with iron, just parts per million of Pd suffice to catalyze the C-C bond–forming Suzuki coupling reaction. The addition of surfactants allowed the reaction to proceed in water. The protocol bodes well for conserving Pd in pharmaceutical and agrochemical synthesis. Science , this issue p. 1087