Mechanistic studies of Pd-catalyzed regioselective aryl C-H bond functionalization with strained alkenes: origin of regioselectivity.

Mechanistic studies of a palladium-catalyzed regioselective aryl C-H functionalization of 2-pyrrole phenyl iodide with norbornene are presented. Kinetic and spectroscopic analyses together with crystallographic data provide evidence for intermediates in a proposed stepwise mechanism. On the basis of the mechanistic studies, the origin of the regioselectivity is due to a ligand exchange between I(-) and HO(-) on the norbornyl palladium complex. These mechanistic studies also implicate that either alkoxide or water is responsible for the formation of the palladacycle, but a reversible ring-opening-ring-closing process of the palladacycle with HX can retard the rate of reaction of a key intermediate. The significant aspects of the proposed mechanism are discussed in detail.