Ethene insertion into a palladium–acetyl bond: crystal structure of [Pd(CH2CH2COMe)(NC5H4CO2Me-2)(PPh3)]BF4, a novel reaction intermediate from the insertion process

Abstract

From the catalytic conversion of CO and ethane to polyketone with [Pd(Me)(NC₅H₄CO₂Me-2)-(PPh₃)]BF₄ 1, the reaction of ethene with [Pd(COMe)(NC₅H₄CO₂Me-2)-(PPh₃)]BF₄ 2 yields a rare example of an isolable product from the insertion of an unstrained alkene into a Pd–acyl bond, and the crystal structure of [Pd(CH₂CH₂COMe)-(NC₅H₄CO₂Me-2)(PPh₃)]BF₄ 3 showing a novel square-pyramidal intermediate with a weakly interacting oxygen in the apical position.