METHOXYCARBONYLATION OF STYRENE BY PALLADIUM(II) COMPLEX CONTAINING THE DIPHENYLPHOSPHINOCYRHETRENE LIGAND

the palladium-catalyzed methoxycarbonylation of vinylarenes has been investigated for the first time using phosphinocyrhetrene [(ti5-c5h4pph2)re(co)3] a non-metallocenic organometallic ligand. the catalytic system trans-[(t5-c5h4pph2)re(co)3]pdcl2(ncme)/pph3 (1:2 ratio), carbon monoxide and methanol, in the presence of hcl as acidic promoter, showed good catalytic activity, excellent regioselectivity to the branched products and chemoselectivity up to 94%.