Mechanochemical C-H bond activation: rapid and regioselective double cyclopalladation monitored by in situ Raman spectroscopy.

The first direct mechanochemical transition-metal-mediated activation of strong phenyl C-H bonds is reported. The mechanochemical procedure, resulting in cyclopalladated complexes, is quantitative and significantly faster than solution synthesis and allows highly regioselective activation of two C-H bonds by palladium(II) acetate in asymmetrically substituted azobenzene. Milling is monitored by in situ solid-state Raman spectroscopy which in combination with quantum-chemical calculations enabled characterization of involved reaction species, direct insight into the dynamics and reaction pathways, as well as the optimization of a milling process.