Aluminum triflate as a highly active and efficient nonprotic cocatalyst in the palladium-catalyzed methoxycarbonylation reaction

(Chemical Equation Presented) Lewis does it better: Aluminum triflate readily replaces Brønsted acid cocatalysts in the palladium-catalyzed methoxycarbonylation reaction of styrene and 1-pentene, producing catalysts that are stable and more active than those using traditional acids. Catalyst loadings of 0.02% allow conversions of up to 100% to be achieved within three hours with no loss of linear/branched ester selectivity.