Efficient aerobic Wacker oxidation of styrenes using palladium bis(isonitrile) catalysts.

The palladium-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of alkenes and especially styrenes (Wacker oxidation) by using chiral pseudo C(2)-symmetrical bis(isonitrile) ligands in the absence of further cocatalysts gives rise to methyl ketones in a highly chemoselective manner. The palladium bis(isonitrile) catalyst was characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray structure analysis, revealing a dissymmetric coordination of palladium by the two isonitrile moieties.