The mechanism of palladium-acetate-catalyzed ortho-amination of N-arylbenzamides by
using O-benzoyl hydroxylpiperidine [PhCOON(C5H10)] has been examined by using DFT(M06, B3LYP)
computational
methods. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of additives such
as cesium fluoride and silver acetate. The lowest-energy pathway has
been identified by carefully examining 15 or more configurationally
different possibilities in each important step of the reaction. The
key mechanistic events include (i) the aryl C–H activation
of the substrate through a cyclometalation deprotonation; (ii) N–O
activation of the reactant PhCOONR2 (where −NR2 = pypiridyl); and (iii) reductive elimination wherein the
−N(C5H10) substituent gets transferred
to the substrate. A heterobimetallic active species [Pd(μ-OAc)3Ag] is identified as catalytically superior over the conventionally
proposed monometallic palladium acetate. A cooperative interaction
between Pd(II) and Ag(I) is found to offer additional stabilization
to the transition states and intermediates, as compared to those devoid
of such an interaction. The second additive, CsF, helps in the deprotonation
of the amidic nitrogen as well as offers electrostatic stabilization
to intermediates and transition states, thereby influencing the energetics
of the reaction. Our findings clearly suggest that refined transition-state
models inclusive of additives are highly desirable toward identifying
the most preferred mechanistic pathways.