Palladium-catalyzed Negishi cross-coupling involving primary and secondary alkyls, even in the presence of beta-H, can be achieved at ambient temperature using chelating ligands containing a phosphine and an electron-deficient olefin. The superior effects of the ligands were shown not only in the desired cross-coupling product yields but also in the fast reaction at mild conditions. This reaction has been also scaled up to 50 g in 0.005 mol % catalyst (20,000 TONs) at room temperature.

Two different organometallic reagents now can cross-couple together with the oxidative cross-coupling strategy. Palladium catalyzed oxidative cross-couplings of alkylzinc and alkynylstannane reagents using desyl chloride as the oxidant have been explored, which produce the desired Csp-Csp3 cross-coupling product in surprisingly high selectivity and yields. The current catalytic system tolerates the presence of beta-H, and the reactions using long chain alkyl zinc reagents gave the cross-coupling product in excellent yields and selectivities.

The kinetics of the reductive elimination step of a C(sp(3))-C(sp(2)) Negishi cross-coupling catalyzed by a 1:1 complex 2 of palladium and the phosphine/electron-deficient olefin ligand (E)-3-(2-diphenylphosphanylphenyl)-1-phenyl-propenone (1) was studied. Complex 2 is an exceptionally efficient and highly selective catalyst for Negishi cross-coupling reactions involving primary and secondary alkylzinc reagents bearing beta-hydrogen atoms. Turnover numbers (TONs) as high as 10(5) and turnover frequencies (TOFs) as high as 1000 s(-1) were observed. The reactions occurred rapidly and selectively even at 0 degrees C. The fact that the reaction was first order in [Pd] is consistent with homogeneous catalysis by Pd complexes rather than by Pd nanoparticles (NPs). Through systematic kinetic investigations of the Negishi coupling of ethyl 2-iodobenzoate with alkylzinc chlorides, the rate constants for reductive elimination of [Ar-Pd-C(sp(3))] were determined to be >0.3 s(-1), which is about 4 or 5 orders of magnitude greater than the values previously reported for [Pd(dppbz)] and [Pd(PPh(3))(2)] systems (dppbz = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)benzene). The use of a 2:1 ratio of 1:Pd resulted in reduced catalytic activity and selectivity, presumably because the olefin moiety could no longer assist in the reductive elimination step. Importantly, hydrogenation of the C=C double bond in ligand 1 generated a saturated ligand (1H(2)), which was not only less effective than 1, but also gave rise to substantial amount of ethylbenzoate formed by competing beta-hydride elimination. Thus, the pi-accepting olefin moiety in 1 must enhance reductive elimination rates, and, consequently, inhibit formation of byproducts resulting from beta-hydride elimination.

Using desyl chloride (2-chloro-1,2-diphen-A C H T U N G T R E N N U N G ylethanone) as the oxidant, the palladium-catalyzed reaction of arylzinc with alkylindium reagents occurred smoothly in a highly selective manner to afford the products in 57-90% yields. Preliminary kinetic data indicated that alkylindium reagents were highly favored for transmetallation with the alkoxypalladium moiety.