In this laboratory experiment students synthesize a phosphine ligand, P( o -tol) 3, and with it the corresponding cyclometallated Pd(II) complex. This complex is an extremely active (pre)catalyst for C-C-bond-forming reactions (e.g. the Heck vinylation or the Grignard cross-coupling reaction). Students test the complex for activation in the catalysis of these two reactions using especially economical bromoaromatic compounds. The catalytic mechanisms of these reactions involve basic reaction types in organometallic chemistry such as ligand exchange, cyclometallation, oxidative addition, transmetallation, olefin insertion, reductive elimination and ß-hydride elimination. This experimental sequence combines synthetic organometallic and synthetic organic chemistry to introduce students to the field of catalysis as it appears in daily scientific research laboratory work.
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Herrmann et al. (2000) studied this question.