Mechanism
The reaction mechanism usually begins with oxidative addition of one organic halide to the catalyst. Subsequently, the second partner undergoes transmetallation, which places both coupling partners on the same metal centre. The final step is reductive elimination of the two coupling fragments to regenerate the catalyst and give the organic product. Unsaturated organic groups couple more easily in part because they add readily. The intermediates are also less prone to beta-hydride elimination.
In one computational study, unsaturated organic groups were shown to undergo much easier coupling reaction on the metal center. The rates for reductive elimination followed the following order: vinyl-vinyl > phenyl-phenyl > alkynyl-alkynyl > alkyl-alkyl. The activation barriers and the reaction energies for unsymmetrical R-R′ couplings were found to be close to the averages of the corresponding values of the symmetrical R-R and R′-R′ coupling reactions; for example: vinyl-vinyl > vinyl-alkyl > alkyl-alkyl. Another mechanistic approach proposes that specifically in aqueous solutions, coupling actually occurs via a radical mechanism rather than a metal-assisted one.
Read more about this topic: Coupling Reaction
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