Dissecting Transmetalation Reactions at the Molecular Level: Role of the Coordinated Anion in Gas-Phase Models for the Transmetalation Step of the Hiyama Cross-Coupling Reaction

Abstract

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling protocols have become a cornerstone in organic synthesis. Here, a gas-phase model of the Hiyama cross-coupling reaction was designed to shed light on the roles of coordinated anions (fluoride versus chloride) in transmetalation from Si to Pd. A combination of mass spectrometry experiments and DFT calculations was used. The ligated palladium fluoride and chloride cationic complexes, [(phen)Pd(X)]+ (X = F and Cl), readily react with vinyltrimethylsilane, Me3Si(CH═CH2), via transmetalation to give [(phen)Pd(CH═CH2)]+ as the major product. DFT calculations reveal that this transmetalation reaction is concerted and proceeds via a four-centered transition state, ..