DPE-Phos

J. Goossen of the Max-Planck-Institut, Muhlheim, has found Chem. Commun. 2004,724) that in situ activation of the acid with phthalic anhydride and inclusion of the bis phosphine DPE-Phos substantially slow alkene isomerization, which can be essentially eliminated by running the reaction to only 80% conversion. Both linear and branched carboxylic acids work well. 

With the phosphane ligand Dpe-Phos acylation afforded a 87% yield of the linear ketone 33 but if the phosphane was replaced by O-IPR-DPPE the branched ketone 34 resulted as the main reaction product In this context, recent progress in the field of hydrocarboxylation has to be mentioned. 

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