Palladium-catalysed directed C-H activation by anilides and ureas; water participation in a general base mechanism

C-H activation plays a central role in organometallic catalysis. Concerted metallation-deprotonation (CMD) has been dominant as the pathway for C-H bond cleavage. In the course of studying the mechanism of C-H activation of arylamides and arylureas with Pd complexes as part of catalytic oxidative Heck reactions, DFT calculations were carried out. The turnover-limiting C-H activation is acid-catalysed and can occur readily in the absence of acetate or other coordinating bases. The calculations simulated experiment, so that ligated sulfonate and water, both previously observed by X-ray characterization, were incorporated in the model. A Wheland-type complex between acetanilide and Pd was readily located, but the reactive C-H and the coordinated sulfonate were poorly placed for intramolecular proton transfer. Involvement of a water molecule coordinated to sulfonate provides a low-energy pathway to the palladacycle. The relative reactivity of substituted acetanilides and arylureas according to this model fits well with existing literature. General-base catalysis as described here has broader potential.