Rate and mechanism of the reversible formation of cationic (eta3-allyl)-palladium complexes in the oxidative addition of allylic acetate to palladium(0) complexes ligated by diphosphanes.

The oxidative addition of the allylic acetate, CH2=CH-CH2-OAc, to the palladium(o) complex [Pd0(P,P)], generated from the reaction of [Pd(dba)2, with one equivalent of P,P (P,P = dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)butane, and P,P = dppf = 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)ferrocene), gives a cationic (eta3-allyl)palladium(II) complex, [(eta3-C3H5)Pd(P,P)+]. with AcO as the counter anion. This reaction is reversible and proceeds through two successive equilibria. The overall equilibrium constants have been determined in DMF. Compared with PPh3, the overall equilibrium lies more in favor of the cationic (eta3-allyl)palladium(II) complex when bidentate P,P ligands are considered in the order: dppb > dppf > PPh3. The reaction proceeds via a neutral intermediate complex [(eta2-CH=CH-CHCH2-OAc)Pd0(P,P)], which has been kinetically detected. The rate constants of the successive steps have been determined in DMF by UV spectroscopy and conductivity measurements. The overall complexation step of the Pd0 by the allylic acetate C=C bond is faster than the oxidative addition/ionization step which gives the cationic (eta3-allyl)palladium(II) complex.