1-Butyl-3-methyl-2-(diphenylphosphino)imidazalolium hexafluorophosphate as an efficient ligand for recoverable palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura reaction in neat water

The 1-butyl-3-methyl-2-(diphenylphosphino)imidazalolium hexafluorophosphate is prepared and used as a water-soluble ligand in the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction. This ligand and palladium chloride generates a new active catalyst for the Suzuki coupling reaction between aryl iodides or bromides with arylboronic acids in neat water. This catalyst can be recycled and reused for the coupling reaction of 4-bromobenzonitrile with phenylboronic acid for at least six runs with low decreasing in catalytic activity.