Pd- and Ni-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions in the synthesis of organic electronic materials

Organic molecules and polymers with extended π-conjugation are appealing as advanced electronic materials, and have already found practical applications in thin-film transistors, light emitting diodes, and chemical sensors. Transition metal (TM)-catalyzed cross-coupling methodologies have evolved over the past four decades into one of the most powerful and versatile methods for C–C bond formation, enabling the construction of a diverse and sophisticated range of π-conjugated oligomers and polymers. In this review, we focus our discussion on recent synthetic developments of several important classes of π-conjugated systems using TM-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, with a perspective on their utility for organic electronic materials.