Reductive elimination from (2,2′‐bipyridine)diethylpalladium(II), a mechanistic study

Abstract

Abstract (2,2′‐Bipyridine)diethylpalladium(II) ( 1 ) is synthesized and its thermolysis in the presence and absence of additives is studied. Thermolysis, neat or in solution, yields ethane and ethene as products. Addition of methyl acrylate reverses the product composition completely to n ‐butane. Kinetic measurements as function of additives, 2,2′‐bipyridine or methyl acrylate, demonstrate that disproportionation products are formed by a dissociative and a nondissociative pathway. Methyl acrylate enters the rate limiting step of n ‐butane formation.