Abstract
Unlike their SCS analogues, SNS pincer complexes are poorly studied for their use in coupling reactions. Accordingly, a series of
water soluble cationic Pd(II) SNS pincer complexes have been successfully synthesised and investigated in detail for their catalytic
activity in Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions. By using only 0.5 mol % loading of the complexes, the coupling of inactivated aryl
bromides and activated aryl chlorides with various boronic acids in water was achieved in excellent yields and the catalysts were
found to be reusable for three cycles without a significant loss of activity. The investigation of the mechanism of the reaction
revealed that a Pd(II) to Pd(IV) route is the more likely pathway which was further supported by computational studies.