Heteroaryl–Heteroaryl Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling Enabled by Large-but-Flexible Dibenzobarrelene-Derived Pd-NHC Precatalysts

The present study describes a class of "large-but-flexible" Pd-NHC complexes derived from dibenzobarrelene. These complexes have been successfully employed in Pd-catalyzed challenging heteroaryl–heteroaryl Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions under aerobic conditions, exhibiting a general and highly efficient protocol for a range of challenging substrates. Additionally, the current protocols were successfully applied to the synthesis of valuable functional small molecules and conjugated mesopolymers. These findings have significant implications for the development of novel and efficient catalytic methodologies in the field of organic and functional material synthesis.