New simple imidazolium-based bidentate ligand precursors were prepared by a three-step protocol and bis(oxazoline) ligands were prepared in two steps. A Suzuki-Miyaura reaction was utilized to ascertain the activity of a palladium(II) catalyst system generated in situ from an oxazolinyl-imidazolium cation, a bis(oxazoline), and palladium(II) acetate. Among them, two sterically hindered N-arylimidazolium cations demonstrated their efficiency with both aryl bromides and chlorides in low catalyst-system loading.
bidentate ligands - carbenes - cross-coupling - catalysis - N-heterocyclic carbenes