Cover Feature: The Autocatalytic Isomerization of Allylbenzene by Nickel(0) Tetrakis(triethylphosphite) (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 29/2018)

Abstract

The Cover Feature shows the first instance of an autocatalytic phenylpropene alkene isomerization mediated by a nickel phosphite homogeneous catalyst. We have model kinetic data to give a strong statistical fit for a sigmoidal reaction curve, indicative of an autocatalytic reaction. We further investigate the detrimental effect of ligand loss during catalyst activation and how this can be circumvented by the addition of a phosphite scavenger, thus vastly improving the kinetics of this alkene isomerization reaction. More information can be found in the https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.201800462