Coupling reactions palladium® acetate - copper salts

Shi has reported a method for /V-alkylanilidc arylation by simple arenes [53], The reaction conditions include heating the anilide with excess arene in propionic acid in the presence of catalytic palladium acetate and copper triflate under oxygen atmosphere. Use of monosubstituted arenes leads to the formation of isomer mixtures however, from the point of atom economy C-H/C-H couplings are the most efficient way for formation of C-C bonds if oxygen is used as the terminal oxidant. Shi has also reported that anilides can be coupled with arylboronic acids and trialkoxyaryl-silanes [54, 55], Silver and copper salts are used as terminal oxidants. 

Both reactions were at the origin of the boom in palladium chemistry, scientifically as well as industrially. To render the previously cited reactions catalytic, the reduced form of Pd is reoxidized with the Cu2+/Cu+ redox couple, with the reduced form of copper finally being reoxidized with dioxygen. This chemistry is performed industrially with the chloride salts of Pd2+ and Cu2+ with ethylene as a feed, either in an aqueous or acetic acid medium. Products are acetaldehyde and vinyl acetate, respectively. 

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