Methoxycarbonylation of olefins catalysed by homogeneous palladium(II) complexes of (phenoxy)imine ligands bearing alkoxy silane groups

Abstract

The Schiff base compounds 2-phenyl-2-((3(triethoxysilyl)propyl)imino)ethanol (HL1) and 4-methyl-2-((3(triethoxysilyl)propyl)imino)methyl)phenol (HL2) were synthesized via condensation reactions of a suitable ketone or aldehyde and (3-aminopropyl) triethoxy silane (APTES). Whereas the reactions of HL1 and HL2 with [Pd(OAc)2] afforded the bis(chelated) palladium compounds [Pd(L1)2] (1) and [Pd(L2)2] (2), treatments of HL1 and HL2 with [Pd(NCMe)2Cl2] gave the mono(chelated) complexes [Pd(HL1)2Cl2] (3) and [Pd(HL2)2Cl2] (4) respectively. Structural characterization of the compounds was achieved using NMR and FT-IR spectroscopies, mass spectrometry and micro-analyses. Complexes 1–4 gave active catalysts in the methoxycarbonylation of higher olefins producing linear esters as the major products. The coordination environment around the palladium center of the complexes dictated the relative catalytic activity, where the bis(chelated) analogues 1 and 2 were more active than the mono(chelated) analogues 3 and 4. The nature of the acid promoter, phosphine groups, solvent system, olefin substrate and reactions conditions influenced the catalytic behaviour of the complexes.