Eighteen years ago in Angewandte Chemie John K. Stille reviewed a novel methodology, which eventually became known by his name, for the coupling of organostannanes with organic electrophiles. Since then that seed has blossomed into a multifaceted methodology full of hidden possibilities to explore, discover, and enjoy. Very recent modifications are making synthetic wishes come true that were only dreamed of a few years ago. Moreover, as important advances are being made in the understanding of the mechanistic details of the process, it is becoming increasingly possible to apply this essential reaction and its new variants in a less empirical way. The purpose of this Review is to give a critical account of this progress.

The first now named Stille reaction was published 38 years ago, and the last comprehensive revision of this catalysis was in 2004. Since then the knowledge of the different steps of the three possible (and sometimes competing) reaction pathways (cyclic, open, and ionic) has been almost completed by synergistic experimental and theoretical studies: the Stille reaction is perhaps the best characterized catalytic process if we consider the number of intermediates that have been detected. This review concentrates on the mechanistic new knowledge, and on important aspects as the revolution with the use of bulky phosphines, the bimetallic alternative of the Stille reaction, the enantioselectivity in Stille and palladium free Stille processes, the meaning of copper effect, or the possible approaches to make Stille coupling a greener process.

The so far accepted mechanism of the Stille reaction (palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of organotin reagents with organic electrophiles) is criticized. Based on kinetic studies on catalytic reactions, and on reactions with isolated intermediates, a corrected mechanism is proposed. The couplings between R, and [AsPh 3 ] ) 0-0.07 mol L -1 , at 322.6 K in THF. The only organopalladium(II) intermediate detected under catalytic conditions is 3a. The apparent activation parameters found for the coupling of 1 with 2a support an associative transmetalation step (∆H q obs ) 50 ( 2 kJ mol -1 , ∆S q obs ) -155 ( 7 J K -1 mol -1 in THF; and ∆H q obs ) 70.0 ( 1.7 kJ mol -1 , ∆S q obs ) -104 (). The reactions of 2a with isolated trans-[PdR 1 X(AsPh 3 ) 2 ] (X ) halide) show rates Cl > Br > I. From these observations, the following mechanism is proposed: Oxidative addition of R 1 X to PdL n gives cis-[PdR 1 XL 2 ], which isomerizes rapidly to trans-[PdR 1 XL 2 ]. This trans complex reacts with the organotin compound following a S E 2 (cyclic) mechanism, with release of AsPh 3 (which explains the retarding effect of the addition of L), to give a bridged intermediate [PdR 1 L(µ-X)(µ-R 2 )SnBu 3 ]. In other words, an L-for-R 2 substitution on the palladium leads R 2 and R 1 to mutually cis positions. From there the elimination of XSnBu 3 yields a three-coordinate species cis-[PdR 1 R 2 L], which readily gives the coupling product R 1 -R 2 .

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A DFT study of R-R reductive elimination (R = Me, Ph, vinyl) in plausible intermediates of Pd-catalyzed processes is reported. These include the square-planar tetracoordinated systems cis-[PdR(2)(PMe(3))(2)] themselves, possible intermediates cis-[PdR(2)(PMe(3))L] formed in solution or upon addition of coupling promoters (L = acetonitrile, ethylene, maleic anhydride (ma)), and tricoordinated intermediates cis-[PdR(2)(PMe(3))] (represented as L = empty). The activation energy ranges from 0.6 to 28.6 kcal/mol in the gas phase, increasing in the order vinyl-vinyl < Ph-Ph < Me-Me, depending on R, and ma < "empty" < ethylene < PMe(3) approximately MeCN, depending on L. The effect of added olefins was studied for a series of olefins, providing the following order of activation energy: p-benzoquinone < ma < trans-1,2-dicyanoethylene < 3,5-dimethylcyclopent-1-ene < 2,5-dihydrofuran < ethylene < trans-2-butene. Comparison of the calculated energies with experimental data for the coupling of cis-[PdMe(2)(PPh(3))(2)] in the presence of additives (PPh(3), p-benzoquinone, ma, trans-1,2-dicyanoethylene, 2,5-dihydrofuran, and 1-hexene) reveals that: (1) There is no universal coupling mechanism. (2) The coupling mechanism calculated for cis-[PdMe(2)(PMe(3))(2)] is direct, but PPh(3) retards the coupling for cis-[PdMe(2)(PPh(3))(2)], and DFT calculations support a switch of the coupling mechanism to dissociative for PPh(3). (3) Additives that would provide intermediates with coupling activation energies higher than a dissociative mechanism (e.g., common olefins) produce no effect on coupling. (4) Olefins with electron-withdrawing substituents facilitate the coupling through cis-[PdMe(2)(PR(3))(olefin)] intermediates with much lower activation energies than the starting complex or a tricoordinated intermediate. Practical consequences are discussed.

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The Sonogashira coupling reaction is not catalyzed by AuI/dppe in the absence of Pd complexes. However, addition of 0.1 mol % of Pd(0) led to efficient cross-coupling reactions. The most plausible catalytic cycles for the Au-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions have been examined and are unlikely in the absence of Pd contamination.

The mechanism of the [PdL4]-catalyzed couplings between R−OTf (R = pentahalophenyl; L = PPh3, AsPh3) and Sn(CHCH2)Bu3 has been studied. The addition of LiCl favors the coupling for L = AsPh3 in THF but retards it for L = PPh3. Separate experiments show that for L = AsPh3, LiCl accelerates the otherwise very slow and rate-determining oxidative addition of the aryl triflate to [PdL4], leading to trans-[PdRClL2]. Therefore, the overall process is accelerated. For L = PPh3, the rate-determining step is the transmetalation. Complex trans-[PdRXL2], with X = Cl, is formed in the presence of LiCl, whereas an equilibrium mixture mainly involving species with X = TfO, L, or S (S = solvent) is established in the absence of LiCl. Since the transmetalation is slower for X = Cl than for the other complexes, the overall process is retarded by addition of LiCl. The transmetalation in complexes trans-[PdRXL2], with X = Cl, follows the SE2(cyclic) mechanism proposed in Part 1 (Casado, A. L.; Espinet, P. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 8978−8985), giving the coupling product RCHCH2 directly. For X = TfO or L, rather stable intermediates trans-[PdR(CHCH2)L2] are detected, supporting an SE2(open) mechanism. The key intermediates undergoing transmetalation in the conditions and solvents most commonly used in the literature have been identified. The operation of SE2(cyclic) and SE2(open) pathways emphasizes common aspects of the Stille reaction with the Hiyama reaction where, using R2SiF3 that is chiral at the α-carbon of R2, retention or inversion at the transmetalated chiral carbon can be induced. This helps us to understand the contradictory stereochemical outcomes in the literature for Stille couplings using R2SnR3 derivatives that are chiral at the α-carbon of R2 and suggests that stereocontrol of the Stille reaction might be achieved.