Structural and kinetic effects of chloride ions in the palladium-catalyzed allylic substitutions

Addition of ligands to [Pd(η³-RCHCHCH₂)(μ-Cl)]₂ or chloride ions to cationic [(η³-RCHCHCH₂)PdL₂]⁺BF₄⁻ induces the formation of neutral complexes η¹-RCHCHCH₂PdClL₂ (R=H with L=(4-ClC₆H₄)₃P, (4-CH₃C₆H₄)₃P, (4-CF₃C₆H₄)₃P or L₂=1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (dppb), 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf); R=Ph with L=(4-ClC₆H₄)₃P), instead of the expected cationic complexes [(η³-RCHCHCH₂)PdL₂]⁺Cl⁻. In the presence of chloride ions, the reaction of morpholine with the cationic complexes [(η³-allyl)Pd(PAr₃)₂]⁺BF₄⁻ (Ar=4-ClC₆H₄, 4-CH₃C₆H₄) goes slower and involves both cationic [(η³-allyl)Pd(PAr₃)₂]⁺ and neutral η¹-allyl-PdCl(PAr₃)₂ complexes as reactive species in equilibrium with Cl⁻. The cationic complex is more reactive than the neutral one. However, their relative contribution in the reaction strongly depends on the chloride concentration, which controls their relative concentration. The neutral η¹-allyl-PdCl(PAr₃)₂ may become the major reactive species at high chloride concentration. Consequently, [Pd(η³-allyl)(μ-Cl)]₂ associated with ligands or cationic [(η³-allyl)PdL₂]⁺BF₄⁻, used indifferently as precursors in palladium-catalyzed allylic substitutions, are not equivalent. In both situations, the mechanism of the Pd-catalyzed allylic substitution depends on the concentration of the chloride ions, delivered by the precursor or purposely added, that determines which species, [(η³-allyl)PdL₂]⁺ or/and η¹-allyl-PdClL₂ are involved in the nucleophilic attack with consequences on the rate of the reaction and probably on its regioselectivity. Consequently, the chloride ions of the catalytic precursors [Pd(η³-allyl)(μ-Cl)]₂ must not be considered as ‘innocent’ ligands.