Preparation of a novel CuI/PCMS heterogeneous catalyst for Heck-type cross-coupling reactions

A novel and environmentally friendly heterogeneous catalyst has been prepared through the wet impregnation of copper(I) species onto the highly porous chitosan microspheres (CuI/PCMS). This novel CuI/PCMS heterogeneous catalyst with no additional ligands is much better than CuI homogeneous catalysts when applied in Heck reactions. Moreover, the reaction conditions are much milder than those for the similar copper catalysts mediated cross-coupling reactions reported in the literature. PCMS has been demonstrated not only the excellent solid support, but also have many unique functional groups to chelate the copper (I) species to enhance its catalytic activity.