Mid Sweden University

The reaction mechanism for the palladium and amine cocatalyzed carbocyclization of aldehydes with alkynes has been investigated by means of density functional theory calculations and experiments. The Pd/amine cocatalyzed transformation is a carbocyclization of in situ generated enaminynes where the C-C bond-forming step is most likely promoted by a Pd(II) species. Notably, the latent Pd(0)/Pd(II) catalytic redox cycle of this metal/organo cooperative catalytic reaction can be merged with catalytic direct aerobic alcohol oxidation (Pd oxidase catalysis). (Chemical Equation Presented).