文摘
Two upper-rim-functionalised calix[4]arenes, 5-diphenylphosphino-25,26,27,28-tetra-benzyloxycalix[4]arene and 5-diphenylphosphino-25,26,27,28-tetra-(p-anisyl)methyloxy calix[4]arene, were investigated in the nickel-catalysed cross-coupling of phenylboronic acid with aryl bromides. The catalytic activities are higher than those observed for other triarylphosphanes, notably PPh3 and P(o-tolyl)3 as well as the Buchwald-type ligand o-biph-PPh2 [TOFs up to 2600 mol(ArPh) mol(Ni)–1 h–1], but the production of large amounts of dehalogenation product could not be avoided, thus strongly contrasting with the classical Pd-catalysed reaction. Good activities were also obtained with aryl chlorides, even at room temperature. The higher efficiency of 1 and 2 relative to that of the Buchwald ligand 3 probably arises from the ease with which these two calix–phosphanes may form appropriate monophosphine complexes before the oxidative addition step.