Insights into the Heck reaction with PCP pincer palladium(II) complexes.

[reaction: see text] The Heck reaction of phenyl halides with styrene using a series of related PCP pincer palladium(II) complexes was studied in order to evaluate the effect of ligand structure and electronics on the catalytic activity and to investigate the nature of the catalyst species. We suggest these pincer complexes are precatalysts for highly active forms of metallic palladium. This conclusion is based on kinetic studies (induction periods, sigmoidal kinetics), Hg drop tests, quantitative poisoning experiments, and NMR studies.