Tetrameric Aryl Palladium Bromide Intermediates Leading to Facile Transmetalation in Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Couplings with Pd@MIL-101-NH2(Cr)

The composition and structure of catalytic intermediates in the context of the Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction cata-lyzed by Pd@MIL-101-NH2(Cr) has been investigated. Trimeric and tetrameric palladium species with formula [Br-Pd-Ar]nBr- (n = 3–4) have been identified by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, and their role in the transmetalation step has been studied. The weak nature of the bonds between Pd and the bridging halides in these species enables a very easy transmetalation step, with an estimated activation free energy of only 10 kcal/mol. Further experimental support for Pd speciation was obtained using scanning transmission electron micros-copy (STEM), inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic reso-nance spectroscopy (19F NMR).