Styryl coupling vs. styryl acetate formation in reactions of styryl tellurides with palladium(II) salts

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(92)83033-E

In sharp contrast to the expected formation of a telluride-palladium complex, the treatment of either (E,E)- and (Z,Z)-distyryl tellurides (1 and 2) or (E)- and (Z)-styryl phenyl tellurides (5 and 6) with Li2PdCl4 in acetonitrile at 25 deg C results in the formation of stereoisomeric 1,4-diphenylbuta-1,3-dienes, whereas the treatment of 1 and 2 with Pd(OAc)2 produces styryl acetates solely or mainly.