Catalyst design and mechanistic aspects of the alternating copolymerisation of ethene and carbon monoxide by diphosphine-modified palladium catalysis

The article addresses fundamental mechanistic aspects related to the perfectly alternating copolymerisation of CO and ethene in MeOH through the analysis of both actual reactions catalysed by palladium(II)-diphosphine precursors and stoichiometric reactions with model compounds. Most recent in situ studies of CO/ethene copolymerisationb, applying high-pressure IR and NMR techniques, have been reviewed and commented.