Suzuki Reaction

The Suzuki reaction is the organic reaction of an aryl- or vinyl-boronic acid with an aryl- or vinyl-halide catalyzed by a palladium(0) complex, which can also be in the form of a nanomaterial-based catalyst. It is widely used to synthesize poly-olefins, styrenes, and substituted biphenyls, and has been extended to incorporate alkyl bromides. Several reviews have been published.

The reaction also works with pseudohalides, such as triflates (OTf), instead of halides. Boronic esters and organotrifluoroborate salts may be used instead of boronic acids.

Relative reactivity: R₂-I > R₂-OTf > R₂-Br >> R₂-Cl

First published in 1979 by Akira Suzuki, the Suzuki reaction couples boronic acids (containing an organic substituent) to halides. The reaction relies on a palladium catalyst such as tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) to effect part of the transformation. The palladium catalyst (more strictly a pre-catalyst) is 4-coordinate, and usually involves phosphine supporting groups.

The 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded in part to Suzuki for his discovery and development of this reaction. In many publications this reaction also goes by the name Suzuki-Miyaura reaction. It is also often referred to as "Suzuki Coupling".