Mechanism of alkyne alkoxycarbonylation at a Pd catalyst with P,N hemilabile ligands: a density functional study

A detailed mechanism for alkyne alkoxycarbonylation mediated by a palladium catalyst has been characterised at the B3PW91-D3/PCM level of density functional theory (including bulk solvation and dispersion corrections). This transformation, investigated via the methoxycarbonylation of propyne, involves a uniquely dual role for the P, N hemilabile ligand acting co-catalytically as both an in situ base and proton relay coupled with a Pd⁰ centre, allowing for surmountable barriers (highest ΔG^≠ of 22.9 kcal mol^-1 for alcoholysis). This proton-shuffle between methanol and coordinated propyne accounts for experimental requirements (high acid concentration) and reproduces observed regioselectivities as a function of ligand structure. A simple ligand modification is proposed, which is predicted to improve catalytic turnover by three orders of magnitude.