Copper and silver benzoate and aryl complexes and their implications for oxidative decarboxylative coupling reactions

Abstract

The synthesis and reactivity of phenanthroline-ligated copper and silver benzoate and aryl complexes are reported. The commonly proposed copper(I) and silver(I) aryl species are shown to be unlikely intermediates in the oxidative decarboxylative coupling reaction. Instead, the copper(II) benzoate undergoes decarboxylative coupling suggesting an unexpected copper(II) based pathway.