Concerted addition background

Overall, these early studies of carboxylate-assisted intramolecular C-H activation established the key features of these AML A/CMD processes, where an electron-deficient metal center works in concert with a pendant carboxylate base to promote C-H activation. This is most evident when an agostic intermediate is involved and such species also rationalize how these systems can also perform C(sp )-H bond activation. Whether C-H activation is achieved as a one- or two-step process appears rather system dependent. Alternative mechanisms, for example, proton transfer onto a halide ligand, oxidative addition, or AMLA-4 processes involving proton transfer onto the inner (Pd-bound) oxygen of the carboxylate were all ruled out. Likewise, no evidence for S Ar processes had been reported. Subsequent work was set against this background and considered the various other parameters that may affect the C-H bond activation process. 

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