Fluoride-catalyzed reduction of palladium(II) to palladium(0)-phosphine complexes

We demonstrate that in the presence of water and excess PPh3; fluoride ion catalyzes the reduction of (Ph3P)(2)PdCl(1)2 under mild conditions to Pd(PP h3)(4) in good yields. The inactivation of catalytic F- by formation of hig hly stable HF2- and other polyhydrogen fluorides that can form in the react ion, is prevented by adding a strong nonionic base such as P(MeNCH2CH2)(3)N .