Aluminum Triflate as a Highly Active and Efficient Nonprotic Cocatalyst in the Palladium‐Catalyzed Methoxycarbonylation Reaction

Lewis does it better: Aluminum triflate readily replaces Brønsted acid cocatalysts in the palladium-catalyzed methoxycarbonylation reaction of styrene and 1-pentene, producing catalysts that are stable and more active than those using traditional acids. Catalyst loadings of 0.02 % allow conversions of up to 100 % to be achieved within three hours with no loss of linear/branched ester selectivity.