A wide array of forms of palladium has been utilized as precatalysts for Heck and Suzuki coupling reactions over the last 15 years. Historically, nearly every form of palladium used has been described as the active catalytic species. However, recent research has begun to shed light on the in situ transformations that many palladium precatalysts undergo during and before the catalytic reaction, and there are now many suggestions in the literature that narrow the scope of types of palladium that may be considered true “catalysts” in these coupling reactions. In this work, for each type of precatalyst, the recent literature is summarized and the type(s) of palladium that are proposed to be truly active are enumerated. All forms of palladium, including discrete soluble palladium complexes, solid-supported metal ligand complexes, supported palladium nano- and macroparticles, soluble palladium nanoparticles, soluble ligand-free palladium, and palladium-exchanged oxides are considered and reviewed here. A considerable focus is placed on solid precatalysts and on evidence for and against catalysis by solid surfaces vs. soluble species when starting with various precatalysts. The review closes with a critical overview of various control experiments or tests that have been used by authors to assess the homogeneity or heterogeneity of catalyst systems.

On the Nature of the Active Species in Palladium Catalyzed Mizoroki–Heck and Suzuki–Miyaura Couplings – Homogeneous or Heterogeneous Catalysis, A Critical Review

Reduced transition metal colloids: a novel family of reusable catalysts

This review considers cases in which a discrete transition-metal complex is used as a precatalyst for reductive catalysis; it focuses on the problem of determining if the true catalyst is a metal-complex homogeneous catalyst or if it is a soluble or other metal-particle heterogeneous catalyst. The various experiments that have been used to distinguish homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis are outlined and critiqued. A more general method for making this distinction is then discussed. Next, the circumstances that make heterogeneous catalysis probable, and the telltale signs that a heterogeneous catalyst has formed, are outlined. Finally, catalytic systems requiring further study to determine if they are homogeneous or heterogeneous are listed. The major findings of this review are: (i) the in situ reduction of transition-metal complexes to form soluble-metal-particle heterogeneous catalysts is common; (ii) the formation of such a catalyst is easy to miss because colloidal solutions often appear homogeneous to the naked eye; (iii) a variety of experiments have been used to distinguish homogeneous catalysis from heterogeneous catalysis, but there is no single definitive experiment for making this distinction; (iv) experiments that provide kinetic information are key to the correct identification of the true catalyst; and (v) a more general approach for distinguishing homogeneous catalysis from heterogeneous catalysis has been developed. Additionally, (vi) the conditions under which a heterogeneous catalyst is likely to form include: (a) when easily reduced transition-metal complexes are used as precatalysts; (b) when forcing reaction conditions are employed; (c) when nanocluster stabilizers are present; and (d) when monocyclic arene hydrogenation is observed. Finally, (vii) the telltale signs of heterogeneous catalysis include the formation of dark reaction solutions, metallic precipitates, and the observation of induction periods and sigmoidal kinetics.

A review of the problem of distinguishing true homogeneous catalysis from soluble or other metal-particle heterogeneous catalysis under reducing conditions

Following an overview of the primitive state of mechanistic studies of the formation of nanoclusters, with a focus on LaMer's classic work on the formation of sulfur sols, kinetic and mechanistic studies of the formation of our recently reported novel P2W15Nb3O629- polyoxoanion- and Bu4N+- stabilized Ir∼190-450 (hereafter, Ir(0)∼300) nanoclusters are presented. The work reported consists of the full experimental and other details of the following eight major components:  (i) development of an indirectbut easy, continuous, highly quantitative and thus powerfulmethod to monitor the formation of the Ir(0) nanoclusters via their catalytic hydrogenation activity and through the concept of pseudoelementary reaction steps; (ii) application of the appropriate kinetic equations for nucleation and autocatalysis, and then demonstration that these equations fit the observed, sigmoidal-shaped kinetic curves quantitatively with resultant rate constants k1 and k2; (iii) confirmation by a more direct, GLC method that the...

Transition Metal Nanocluster Formation Kinetic and Mechanistic Studies. A New Mechanism When Hydrogen Is the Reductant: Slow, Continuous Nucleation and Fast Autocatalytic Surface Growth

This review summarizes the progress made essentially these last ten years on heterogeneous palladium catalysis in pure water. The work covers four important palladium-catalyzed transformations for carbon-carbon bond formation: Suzuki, Heck, Sonogashira and Tsuji-Trost reactions. The discussion focuses on the efficiency and reusability of the heterogeneous catalysts as well as on the experimental conditions from a sustainable chemistry point of view. The review is introduced by a discussion on mechanistic aspects inherent to heterogeneous catalysis.

Recyclable Heterogeneous Palladium Catalysts in Pure Water: Sustainable Developments in Suzuki, Heck, Sonogashira and Tsuji–Trost Reactions

Suppression of unwanted heterogeneous platinum(0)-catalyzed reactions by poisoning with mercury(0) in systems involving competing homogeneous reactions of soluble organoplatinum compounds: thermal decomposition of bis(triethylphosphine)-3,3,4,4-tetramethylplatinacyclopentane

Alan F. Sowinski

Papers

Suppression of unwanted heterogeneous platinum(0)-catalyzed reactions by poisoning with mercury(0) in systems involving competing homogeneous reactions of soluble organoplatinum compounds: thermal decomposition of bis(triethylphosphine)-3,3,4,4-tetramethylplatinacyclopentane