Catalyst Preparations and Recovery of Precious Metals

Abstract

Most of the transition metal species discussed in this book are used only in catalytic quantities rather than as stoichiometric reagents. Although the catalyst precursor that is added to the reaction mixture is normally a well-defined compound, the actual species participating in the catalytic cycle are often (though not always) relatively poorly understood. A number of catalyst precursors such as PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂ are commercially available, but they can be surprisingly expensive, even for precious metal compounds. When carbonylation reactions are routinely carried out, it is thus often more economical to prepare the necessary catalyst precursors in the laboratory. This chapter gives experimental details for preparing many of the transition metal complexes that find application in carbonylation chemistry. Although most preparations are relatively straightforward, it is strongly recommended that the original literature references be consulted for further information.