Selective dimerization of styrene to 1,3-diphenyl-1-butene with bis(β-diketonato)palladium/boron trifluoride etherate catalyst system

The selective dimerization of styrene to 1,3-diphenyl-1-butene over Pd(β-diketonate)2/BF3OEt2 catalyst systems in both “phosphine-free” and “phosphine-modified” fashions has been investigated. Styrene dimers up to 95% consists of trans-1,3-diphenyl-1-butene. Reaction products were characterized with 1H, 13C NMR, IR, MS-GC spectroscopy and GC analysis. Palladium hydride complexes are likely to be catalytically active species.