Palladium‐Catalyzed Methoxycarbonylation of 1,3‐Butadiene: Catalysis and Mechanistic Studies

The palladium‐catalyzed methoxycarbonylation of 1,3‐butadiene to methyl 3‐pentenoate has been studied. Intermediates of the proposed catalytic cycle were synthesized and the elementary steps of the reaction have been investigated in detail. It is shown that the first step of the catalytic cycle, the formation of crotylpalladium complexes from 1,3‐butadiene, proceeds even at room temperature. Examination of the influence of different reaction parameters on product yield and selectivity demonstrate the importance of chelating phosphine ligands and benzoic acids as additive in order to get good results.