Efficient Mizoroki–Heck coupling reactions using phosphine-modified Pd(II)–picolinate complex

Efficient Mizoroki–Heck couplings were obtained using a very easily synthesizable palladium(II) complex of hemilabile N–O ligand (picolinate), with high turnover frequencies up to >10,000 h⁻¹, in just 15 min, with high selectivity of >99% to the desired products. Wide applicability of the simple-looking palladium complex catalyst was established with differently functionalized substrates. Catalyst screening studies revealed intricate details of dependence of catalyst performance on different reaction parameters and conditions and arriving at the optimized facile methodology.