Negishi cross coupling Mechanism

Fig. 4.10 Simplified reaction mechanism for the Pd-catalyzed Negishi cross-coupling reaction with ZnMeCl (L = PMePhi)...

Phapale VB, Cardenas DJ (2009) Nickel-catalyzed Negishi cross-coupling reactions scope and mechanisms. Chem Soc Rev 38 1598-1607... 

Consequently, to narrow the definition a bit further, we will adhere to Negishi s suggestion and define cross-coupling reactions as those that follow some variation of the mechanism depicted in Scheme 1 (where Mt is a transition metal, L is an ancillary hgand see Ancillary Ligand), and n is the oxidation state of the reduced metal in the catalytic cycle). This mechanism is supported by stoichiometric studies on isolated metal complexes (mostly where Mt = Pd, n = 0, L = triphenylphosphine) thought to be the intermediates in this cycle. 

Negishi, E., Takahashi, T., Baba, S., Van Horn, D. E., Okukado, N. Nickel- or palladium-catalyzed cross coupling. 31. Palladium- or nickel-catalyzed reactions of alkenylmetals with unsaturated organic halides as a selective route to arylated alkenes and conjugated dienes scope, limitations, and mechanism. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1987,109, 2393-2401. 

Scheme 1.16 (a) General conditions for the Negishi-Baba cross-coupling reaction, (b) The proposed mechanism for the Negishi-Baba cross-coupling arylation procedure [12a],... 

W. S. Knowles, R. Noyori, K. B. Sharpless enantioselective catalysis) 2005 Y. Chauvin, R. H. Grubbs, R. R. Schrock (alkene metathesis) 2007 G. Ertl chem. processes on solid surfaces/mechanisms of heterogeneous catalysts) 2010 R. F. Heck, E. Negishi, A. Suzuki Pd Catalyzed cross coupling reactions). 

Preparations of all these organic materials involve the constmction of new carbon-carbon bonds and have prompted the development of many catalytic cross-coupling reactions. One of the most reliable synthetic methods to form carbon-carbon bonds is transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling between organo-metallic nucleophiles and electrophilic organic halides or pseudohalides, respectively (Scheme 2a). The mechanisms of common cross-coupling reactions such as the Suzuki, Negishi, or Stille catalysis can be described by a catalytic cycle, differ in detail, but all include three main steps in the order oxidative addition, transmetallation, and reductive elimination (Scheme 1). 

As in all C-C cross-coupling reactions, the Negishi reaction mechanism consists in three steps (Fig.4.1) oxidative addition, transmetalation, and reductive elimination. The former and the latter are common to all the other cross-coupling reactions, whereas the transmetalation step is particular of this reaction. Unfortunately, this transmetalation has been less studied compared to the ones in the Stille [12-17] or Suzuki reactions, [18-21] in spite of the fact that the transmetalation between organozinc and palladium complexes is also involved in other relevant processes, such as the hydroalkylation of styrenes, [22] the asymmetric allylation of aryl aldehydes, [23] the coupling propargylic benzoates and aldehydes, [24] or the double-transmetalation oxidative cross-coupling reaction [25, 26]. 

For the copper-free Sonogashira reaction, the mechanistic study reported in this thesis revealed that, just like in other cross-coupling reactions (i.e. Stille, Negishi), there are several competing reaction pathways and a change on the reaction conditions (e.g. solvent, ligands, substrates, base) might favor one over the other ones. Moreover, a new mechanism in which the acetylide (formed by deprotonation of the alkyne) directly reacts with the catalyst was also proposed. 

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