Methanolysis of acyl-Pd(II) complexes relevant to CO/ethene coupling reactions

Alcoholysis of acyl-Pd(II) complexes relevant to palladium catalysed CO/ethene coupling reactions such as polyketone synthesis/alkoxycarbonylation reactions is shown, in a highly active catalyst system, to proceed via coordination of methanol to the Pd centre prior to nucleophilic attack at the acyl carbon.