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Title: Palladium catalyzed coupling reactions: mechanism of reductive elimination. Progress report, June 1, 1978-September 30, 1979

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5947086· OSTI ID:5947086

The coupling reaction of benzyl halides and organolithium, organotin, or Grignard Reagents is catalyzed by palladium. The sequence of events in the catalytic cycle is oxidative addition of the benzyl halide to palladium(0), methathesis by the organometallic reagent to give a benzyl methyl palladium(II) complex, oxidative addition of the benzyl halide to give a palladium(IV) complex, and reductive elimination of benzyl and methyl to give ethylbenzene. The reductive elimination from palladium bearing an optically active ..cap alpha..-deuteriobenzyl group takes place with retention of configuration at carbon, and is therefore concerted or nearly concerted. Since rho is positive in the catalytic reaction with substituted aryl halides, an oxidative addition, probably during the Pd(II) to Pd(IV) reaction, is the slow step in the catalytic cycle. The intermediate diorganopalladium species can be isolated when the two groups attached to palladium are both methyl or methyl and either cis or trans-..beta..-styryl. The decomposition of these species can be followed by NMR. In the case of methylstyrylpalladium(II) complexes, the reductive elimination gives propenyl benzene with stereospecific retention of double bond geometry. Cis-dimethylbis(diphenylmethylphosphine)palladium(II) does not undergo isomerization to the more stable trans isomer in an inert solvent, and is stable toward reductive elimination up to 50/sup 0/. In the presence of added phosphine, or in a coordinating solvent, rapid cis to trans isomerization and reductive elimination to give ethane is observed. An associative mechanism is apparently operative in this case.

Research Organization:
Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
ER-78-S-02-4903
OSTI ID:
5947086
Report Number(s):
COO-4903.A000-1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English