CATIONIC PALLADIUM(II)-DIPHOSPHINE COMPLEXES AS CATALYSTS FOR THE CARBONYLATION OF ALKENES TO KETONES

Cation palladium complexes of the type [(dppp)Pd(solvent)2][X]2 2 [X = non or weakly coordinating anion; dppp = 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane] are active catalysts for the carbonylation to ketones, e.g., for the selective formation of E-1,5-diphenylpent-l-en-3-one from styrene; in the presence of water and depending on the acidity conditions dimerisation to the much less catalytically active [(dppp)Pd(mu-OH)2Pd(dppp)]X2 3 takes place, the structure of which was determined by X-ray crystallography.