Oxygen-promoted Pd(II) catalysis for the coupling of organoboron compounds and olefins.

Reported herein is a mild and efficient Pd(II) catalysis, leading to the formation of carbon-carbon bonds between a broad spectrum of organoboron compounds and alkenes. Molecular oxygen was employed to reoxidize the resultant Pd(0) species back to Pd(II) during catalytic cycles. This oxygen protocol promoted the desired Pd(II) catalysis, whereas it retarded competing Pd(0) catalytic pathways such as Heck or Suzuki couplings. [reaction: see text]