The product-forming step in palladium-catalysed methoxycarbonylation of organic halides

Abstract

Use of trimethylphosphine–palladium complexes renders the product-forming step in palladium-catalysed methoxycarbonylation of benzyl chloride or iodobenzene rate-determining and allows for its direct observation; the product-forming step is alcoholysis of an acylpalladium complex and not reductive elimination of a methoxycarbonylpalladium intermediate.