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Mono-N-protected amino acids (MPAAs) are increasingly common ligands in Pd-catalyzed C-H functionalization reactions. Previous studies have shown how these ligands accelerate catalytic turnover by facilitating the C-H activation step. Here, it is shown that MPAA ligands exhibit a second property commonly associated with ligand-accelerated catalysis: the ability to support catalytic turnover at substoichiometric ligand-to-metal ratios. This catalytic role of the MPAA ligand is characterized in stoichiometric C-H activation and catalytic C-H functionalization reactions. Palladacycle formation with substrates bearing carboxylate and pyridine directing groups exhibit a 50-100-fold increase in rate when only 0.05 equivalents of MPAA are present relative to Pd II . These and other mechanistic data indicate that facile exchange between MPAAs and anionic ligands coordinated to Pd II enables a single MPAA to support C-H activation at multiple Pd II centers., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidation reactions exhibit broad utility in organic synthesis; however, they often feature high catalyst loading and low turnover numbers relative to non-oxidative cross-coupling reactions. Insights into the fate of the Pd catalyst during turnover could help to address this limitation. Herein, we report the identification and characterization of a dimeric Pd I species in two prototypical Pd-catalyzed aerobic oxidation reactions: allylic C-H acetoxylation of terminal alkenes and intramolecular aza-Wacker cyclization. Both reactions employ 4,5-diazafluoren-9-one (DAF) as an ancillary ligand. The dimeric Pd I complex, [Pd I (μ-DAF)(OAc)] 2 , which features two bridging DAF ligands and two terminal acetate ligands, has been characterized by several spectroscopic methods, as well as single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The origin of this Pd I complex and its implications for catalytic reactivity are discussed., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

4,5-Diazafluoren-9-one (DAF) has been identified as a highly effective ligand in a number of Pd-catalyzed oxidation reactions, but the mechanistic basis for its utility has not been elucidated. Here, we present the complex coordination chemistry of DAF and palladium(II) carboxylate salts. Multiple complexes among an equilibrating mixture of species have been characterized by (1)H and (15)N NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. These complexes include monomeric and dimeric Pd(II) species, with monodentate (κ(1)), bidentate (κ(2)), and bridging (μ:κ(1):κ(1)) DAF coordination modes. Titration studies of DAF and Pd(OAc)2 reveal the formation of two dimeric DAF/Pd(OAc)2 complexes at low [DAF] and four monomeric species at higher [DAF]. The dimeric complexes feature two bridging acetate ligands together with either a bridging or nonbridging (κ(1)) DAF ligand coordinated to each Pd(II) center. The monomeric structures consist of three isomeric Pd(κ(1)-DAF)2(OAc)2 complexes, together with Pd(κ(2)-DAF)(OAc)2 in which the DAF exhibits a traditional bidentate coordination mode. Replacing DAF with the structurally related, but more-electron-rich derivative 9,9-dimethyl-4,5-diazafluorene (Me2DAF) simplifies the equilibrium mixture to two complexes: a dimeric species in which the Me2DAF bridges the two Pd centers and a monomeric species with a traditional κ(2)-Me2DAF coordination mode. The use of DAF in combination with other carboxylate ligands (CF3CO2(-) or tBuCO2(-)) also results in a simplified collection of equilibrating Pd(II)-DAF complexes. Collectively, the results highlight the ability of DAF to equilibrate rapidly among multiple coordination modes, and provide valuable insights into the utility of DAF as a ligand in Pd-catalyzed oxidation reactions.

The title compound, [PdCl(2)(C(21)H(17)N(3))], is a member of a sequence of Pd, Pt and Co dichloride complexes bearing polysubstituted (pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine ligands. It is shown that there is a correlation between the steric bulkiness of the bidentate (pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine ligands and the Pd-N(pyrazole) distances, i.e. the larger the ligand, the longer the bond. In contrast, no trend is observed between the steric properties of the ligand and the Pd-N(pyridine) bond lengths.

Pd-catalyzed C-H oxidation reactions often require the use of oxidants other than O(2). Here we demonstrate a ligand-based strategy to replace benzoquinone with O(2) as the stoichiometric oxidant in Pd-catalyzed allylic C-H acetoxylation. Use of 4,5-diazafluorenone (1) as an ancillary ligand for Pd(OAc)(2) enables terminal alkenes to be converted to linear allylic acetoxylation products in good yields and selectivity under 1 atm O(2). Mechanistic studies have revealed that 1 facilitates C-O reductive elimination from a π-allyl-Pd(II) intermediate, thereby eliminating the requirement for benzoquinone in this key catalytic step.

[reaction: see text] Palladium(II) complexes bearing a single N-heterocyclic carbene ligand serve as effective catalysts for the aerobic oxidative cyclization of alkenes with pendant sulfonamides. The use of carboxylic acid cocatalysts (AcOH and PhCO(2)H) often leads to significant improvements in catalyst stability and product yield and enables catalytic turnover to be achieved with air, rather than pure oxygen gas, as the source of O(2).

The Pd(OAc)(2)/pyridine catalyst system is one of the most convenient and versatile catalyst systems for selective aerobic oxidation of organic substrates. This report describes the catalytic mechanism of Pd(OAc)(2)/pyridine-mediated oxidation of benzyl alcohol, which has been studied by gas-uptake kinetic methods and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The data reveal that turnover-limiting substrate oxidation by palladium(II) proceeds by a four-step pathway involving (1) formation of an adduct between the alcohol substrate and the square-planar palladium(II) complex, (2) proton-coupled ligand substitution to generate a palladium-alkoxide species, (3) reversible dissociation of pyridine from palladium(II) to create a three-coordinate intermediate, and (4) irreversible beta-hydride elimination to produce benzaldehyde. The catalyst resting state, characterized by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, consists of an equilibrium mixture of (py)(2)Pd(OAc)(2), 1, and the alcohol adduct of this complex, 1xRCH(2)OH. These in situ spectroscopic data provide direct support for the mechanism proposed from kinetic studies. The catalyst displays higher turnover frequency at lower catalyst loading, as revealed by a nonlinear dependence of the rate on [catalyst]. This phenomenon arises from a competition between forward and reverse reaction steps that exhibit unimolecular and bimolecular dependences on [catalyst]. Finally, overoxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzoic acid, even at low levels, contributes to catalyst deactivation by formation of a less active palladium benzoate complex.