Progress on Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reactions Promoted by Palladium–Lanthanide Coordination Polymers as Catalytic Systems

Lanthanide coordination polymers have been developed at a fast rate during the past two decades due to their appealing applications in the modern field of materials science and emerging technologies like luminescence, magnetism, sensing, gas adsorption, and catalysis. The role of lanthanides in imparting specific properties to the coordination polymers has been fully documented in extensive studies carried out by numerous research groups. It has been shown that because lanthanide(III) ions possess a variable coordination number, they readily build two-dimensional and three-dimensional architectures with definite channels, permanent pores, and distinct surface areas. Due to their strong oxophilic propensity and hard Lewis acid character, lanthanides favor the construction of stable coordination polymers and MOF configurations by strongly binding the coordinating groups of the organic linkers. Associated with palladium complexes, the lanthanide ions provide synergistic effects with Lewis acid sites, beneficial to the catalytic activity. These attractive characteristics of lanthanides enabled them to be fruitfully applied in Pd-Ln coordination polymers with catalytic properties. This review covers an array of Pd-Ln coordination polymers applied as heterogeneous catalysts in Suzuki-Miyaura C(sp²)-C(sp²) cross-coupling reactions. The activity and chemoselectivity of Pd(II) ions and Pd nanoparticles associated in coordination polymers with different lanthanides from a selected array of rare earth elements (Eu, Sm, Eu, Gd, Pr, Nd, Ce, La, or Tb) is discussed. High yields (>99%) are attained under optimized reaction conditions. The specific role of lanthanides and organic ligands in creating sustainable and recyclable heterogeneous Pd catalysts is evidenced. Mechanistic aspects of the C(sp²)-C(sp²) cross-coupling reactions are considered. The synergistic interaction between lanthanides and palladium as well as with the organic ligands is highlighted.