Mechanistic insights into C‐C cross coupling activities of Pd/Ni‐doped heterofullerenes

Mechanistic insights into Heck and Suzuki‐Miyaura cross coupling reactions with C₅₉M (M = Pd/Ni) catalysts were developed. Density functional theory was used for the analysis of all the intermediates and transition states possible during C‐C cross coupling reactions over the catalysts under study. Oxidative addition, a step common to both Heck and Suzuki‐Miyaura cross coupling reactions, was observed to proceed with smaller activation barriers over C₅₉Pd. Heck coupling of iodobenzene with styrene was observed to proceed via oxidative addition, migratory insertion, and reductive elimination steps. The free energy barriers for oxidative addition, migratory insertion, and reductive elimination steps were 14.8, 11.6, and 4.8 kcal/mol, respectively, over C₅₉Pd, and 17.4, 79.3, and 17.4 kcal/mol, respectively, over C₅₉Ni, indicating oxidative addition and migratory insertion to be the rate‐determining steps over C₅₉Pd and C₅₉Ni, respectively. Similarly for Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling reaction, activation barriers for oxidative addition, transmetalation, and reductive elimination steps were 14.8, 52.4, and 7.9 kcal/mol, respectively, over C₅₉Pd, and 17.4, 64.7, and 60.2 kcal/mol, respectively, over C₅₉Ni, indicating transmetalation step to be the rate‐determining step over both the heterofullerenes.