On the Regioselectivity Control in the Palladium-Catalyzed Hydro-alkoxycarbonylation of α,β-Unsaturated Esters

The regioselectivity of the hydro-alkoxycarbonylation of methyl acrylate, methacrylate, and crotonate catalyzed by PdCl₂L₂] complexes (L = phosphine ligands) can be largely controlled by variation of the ligands. PPh₃, promotes preferential carbonylation at the α-position, whereas with (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4,5-diyl)bis-(methylene)]bisdiphenylphosphine] as ligand, the β-position is overwhelmingly carbonylated.