8/11/2019 CHE 158, HW3

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8/11/2019 CHE 158, HW3

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In addition the group also decided to model the kinetic reaction. The rate constant

formula was determined to be "k=kobs/[c([Pd(PPh3)4]) x c(CuI)]". A plot of ln(k/T) vs (1/T) was

done to determine the activation energy, given to be 8.5 kcal/mol.

Review

Any researcher should be commended for studying things that others have never done

before. It is truly a challenge to run into puzzles and hindrances that none have tried to solve

before. However, there are still instances in the paper which made it difficult to understand.

Although the article states that using iPr2NH was faster than Et3N, it never states why. The

article forces the reader to just take it as an empirical result and neglected to give a reason. It was

also strange how the article led up to the point that it started considering the cocatalyst. Why did

they consider that last after all the other catalysts and solvents? For those who aren't familiar

with the details of the Sonogashira coupling reaction, it may feel strange that they tagged it on as

the last thought. Another confusing part of the article is that the group ruled out the oxidative

addition as the rate-limiting step so quickly.

Conclusion