Reaction of 7-octene-2,4-dione (3) with a catalytic amount of PdCl2(CH3CN)2 (4) (10 mol
%) in dioxane at room temperature for 16 h formed 2-acetylcyclohexanone (5) in 81% yield
as a single regioisomer. Byproducts in the conversion of 3 to 5 include 2,4-octanedione (13),
2-acetyl-2-cyclohexenone (14), 2-acetylphenol (15), (E)- and (Z)-6-octene-2,4-dione (17), (E)-
and (Z)-5-octene-2,4-dione (18), the η3-β-diketonate chloride dimer {[η3-CH3CH2CH2CHCOHCHAc]Pd(Cl)}2 (12), and the π(allyl)palladium chloride dimer {[η3-CH3CHCHCHC(O)CH2Ac]Pd(Cl)}2 (16). The palladium-catalyzed cyclization of 3-butenyl β-diketones
tolerated substitution at the terminal acyl carbon atom, the enolic carbon atom, and the
terminal olefinic carbon atom. Deuterium-labeling studies, in conjunction with kinetic and
in situ NMR experiments, supported a mechanism for the palladium-catalyzed hydroalkylation of 3-butenyl β-diketones initiated by 6-endo-trig attack of the enol carbon atom on a
palladium-complexed olefin to form a palladium cyclohexanone species. Migration of the
palladium atom from the C(4) to the C(6) carbon atom of the 2-acylcyclohexanone
intermediate via iterative β-hydride elimination/addition followed by protonolysis of the
resulting palladium C(6)-enolate complex released the cyclohexanone and regenerated the
palladium dichloride catalyst.