The synthesis, characterization, crystal structure and catalyst activity of the bidentate phosphine complex [1,2-bis (diphenylphosphino)ethane]palladium(II) bromide, [PdBr2(dppe)], are presented. Treatment of 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane with palladium(II) bromide under mild conditions resulted in the compound in high yield and purity. The characterization of the synthesized compound was performed using spectroscopic methods, such as Fourier transform infrared and NMR, CHN analysis and X-ray crystallography. The structure of the compound was slightly distorted square planar. This compound was found to work as an efficient catalyst for both Stille and Suzuki cross-coupling reactions of various aryl halides with triphenyltin chloride and/or phenylboronic acid. Also, the catalyst could be recovered and reused several times without significant loss of its catalytic activity.
